CABINET OFFICE

Civil Defence

Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contingency plans have been prepared for coping with a large scale exodus of people from a city following a terrorist attack.

Charles Clarke: I have been asked to reply.
	It would be in extremely unusual circumstances that mass evacuation would be initiated. In such circumstances the existing evacuation and reception planning by local authorities, police and emergency services would come into play. The new regional resilience teams in the Government offices for the regions would be available to assist with co-ordination of incidents affecting several local authority areas. In London, large scale evacuation planning is co-ordained by the London resilience team.

New Environmental Technologies

David Chaytor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to reform the methodology of regulatory impact assessments in order to reflect more accurately the social and economic benefits of new environmental technologies; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The regulatory impact assessment (RIA) methodology provides for the assessment of economic, environmental and social impacts. This includes analysing the benefits that may arise from the use of environmental technology as well as any costs to UK industry. Assessments undertaken by Departments should reflect the social, environmental and economic benefits of any relevant emerging technology.

Staff Identity Passes

George Osborne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost of producing a staff identity pass was in the Department on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many staff identity passes have been reported lost or stolen in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The average cost of producing a staff identify pass in the Department on the latest date for which figures are available is £8.87. This includes materials and staff costs. Figures on the number of lost or stolen passes are only available from 2003 onwards and are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of passes 
		
		
			 Lost  
			 2003 61 
			 2004 20 
			 Stolen  
			 2003 10 
			 2004 31 
		
	
	No incidents have been recorded in this period of attempted use of lost or stolen passes.
	I regret that the information I gave in a response to the hon. Member on 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 92W, on security passes was incorrect. That response stated that there were 15 passes reported lost in 2004, when there were in fact 20 passes reported lost in 2004. The correct information has been used in response to this PQ.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact the Commission for Africa Report will have on (a) delivering funding for development in Africa, (b) ensuring value for money of monies committed from the UK to development projects in Africa and (c) achieving openness and transparency in how the funds are used in delivering the projects.

Hilary Benn: The Commission for Africa report is a well argued case for the international community and Africa working in partnership to achieve change. One key recommendation is that aid to Africa should be doubled. DFID supports this, the UK is on track to double UK aid by 2010 from levels in 2004–05. The political momentum generated by the report will encourage other countries to increase aid flows and support the International Financing Facility (IFF). DFID will work to enlist maximum international response through our presidencies of the G8 and EU during 2005.
	The Commission for Africa report presents a powerful analysis of the most effective ways to ensure that growth in the quantity of aid is matched by increased aid effectiveness. We strongly agree and will be taking further steps to improve the predictability and harmonisation of UK aid, as recommended by the report, so that it will have maximum impact. The report also recommends that aid is untied—which is already the case for UK aid. More effective aid means better value for money for the UK taxpayer.
	The report is clear on the importance of donors being held to account for the effectiveness of their aid and recommends the establishment of new mechanisms for monitoring donor performance against clear, time bound and quantifiable commitments. DFID supports this.

Africa

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the International Finance Facility will work in connection with projects funded by the UK and other international parties in Africa; and what type of infrastructure projects he expects will benefit from such funds.

Hilary Benn: The International Finance Facility is a financing mechanism designed to provide significant extra resources for development between now and 2015. It would be used to finance country-led development processes in the poorest countries in Africa and elsewhere in the world, but will not act as a development bank or aid agency in its own right. Funds from the Facility would be disbursed through existing, effective, multilateral and bilateral mechanisms.
	Finance from the International Finance Facility should ensure that aid is used to finance the investments that will help put countries on a sustainable and lasting path to poverty reduction this could include infrastructure. The detailed mechanics of how disbursement decisions would be made would depend on the Facility's Governance Structure, which would be for agreement by donors at the establishment of the IFF.

Aid Initiatives

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has for conflict resolution to address the underlying causes of conflict in countries which are excluded from development and debt initiatives.

Hilary Benn: DFID carries out the majority of its conflict resolution and conflict prevention work through the Global and Africa Conflict Prevention Pools (GCPP and ACPP respectively), which are supplied by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID).
	The country and regional strategies in the Africa and the Global Pools are based on where the UK can make a contribution to the reduction and resolution of conflict. The trilateral nature of the Pools means that DFID is involved in a small number of countries that are not development priorities for DFID. The vast majority of the Pools' work, however, is in countries where DFID is also engaged in developmental activities and/or debt initiatives.

Grenada/Cayman Islands

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of reconstruction efforts in (a) Grenada and (b) Cayman Islands.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID maintains close contact with the Government of Grenada, including its new Agency for Reconstruction and Development (ARD), and with other donors. We do so both bilaterally and through a forum which is convened by the United Nations Development Programme which includes the participation of the other major donors. Through these contacts we have responded to the Government of Grenada's requests for budget support and technical assistance for the reconstruction effort and have helped to press other donors to respond in a timely manner.
	The ARD was formally launched on 15 March—albeit somewhat later than originally envisaged. There has been progress in school reconstruction and in the housing sector. In the education sector, funds from the US Agency for International Development, World Bank, European Commission and DFID are being used for a programme of schools' rehabilitation. All children are now back at school.
	The Government of Grenada has said that housing reconstruction and financing is a top priority and has committed to a number of initiatives for rebuilding. For priority vulnerable and needy families, as a first phase, it committed to constructing 225 low-income homes at a cost of about £8,000 per home, and providing material assistance for the repair of 1,125 roofs during the same period. The Government are also offering a Soft Loan Facility which provides a maximum loan amount of approximately £8,000 for 10 years with a one year grace period, at an interest rate of 3 per cent. In addition the Venezuelan Government, the US Agency for International Development, and the People's Republic of China have all committed to the construction and repair of homes in Grenada.
	Similarly, while not directly involved in assessing the efforts of the Caymanian authorities, DFID continues to monitor progress in Cayman Islands' recovery from Hurricane Ivan. Since our emergency assistance in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, when we quickly contributed relief supplies and helped with the clear-up operation, both the islands' Governor and our Disaster Management Adviser have kept in close contact and provided us with reports. In addition, the Cayman Islands Government have shared with us a damage assessment by the United Nations' Economic commission for the Caribbean and Latin America (ECLAC).
	We understand that the pace of recovery, including repairs to housing and essential infrastructure, continues to be strong and that the situation is improving on a daily basis. The Cayman authorities have also announced measures, in co-operation with the United Nations Development Programme, to establish a National Emergency Management system and to achieve optimum resilience in the event of any future natural disasters.

Grenada/Cayman Islands

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Grenadan Government concerning reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Ivan.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Secretary of State met with Prime Minister Keith Mitchell MP on Monday 21 March in London, to discuss progress on the reconstruction efforts in Grenada. DFID officials attended a regular meeting of the Government of Grenada-Donor Community Forum on 9 March, in Barbados. The Chief Executive of the Agency for Reconstruction and Development, Dr. Richardson Andrews, and Senior Officials from the Ministry of Education represented the Government of Grenada at that meeting. DFID officials met with the Permanent Secretary in the Grenadian Ministry of Finance on Thursday 10 March in the margins of the Caribbean Development Bank Board Meeting. All these meetings are supplemented by regular contact between the Government of Grenada and FCO officials in St. Georges, and by the continuous monitoring of our programmes in Grenada by DFID staff in the Caribbean office.

HIV/AIDS

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the Government are giving to the development and provision of (a) microbicides and (b) other HIV-prevention methods in his Department's aid programmes to the developing world.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID is providing a grant of £16 million (October 2001 to September 2006) to the Microbicide Development Programme (MDP) coordinated by the Medical Research Councils Clinical Trials Unit and Imperial College. DFID has also provided £18 million to International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and £1.3 million to International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM).
	DFID is supporting a range of prevention interventions across the countries where we work. Our support depends on needs and demand at country level linked to the nature of the epidemic. We support a comprehensive country led approach to HIV prevention. We support governments to strengthen their health and social systems. We also provide specific support to delivering services via civil society, private sector and Government agencies. This covers a range of activities such as school education, harm reduction such as needle exchanges, and methadone replacement for intravenous drug users, voluntary counselling and testing, procurement and supply of sexual and reproductive health commodities and associated training and counselling. We encourage engagement of key stakeholders such as people living with HIV/AIDS, commercial sex workers and intravenous drug users in developing and implementing services.
	Access to reproductive health services and information is essential to preventing HIV infection and we support better integration of services for AIDS and sexual and reproductive health, so that they are complementary and not competitive. Sexual and reproductive health services are also a cornerstone of efforts to prevent HIV infection. DFID is a major donor of reproductive health commodities (including condoms), mainly through budgetary support to country strategies that include reproductive health but also via support for specific reproductive health programmes. We support social marketing programmes that distribute contraceptives and condoms for HIV prevention.

HIV/AIDS

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 379W, on HIV/AIDS, if he will place in the Library the report of the Conference on Retroviral and Opportunistic Infections held in Boston USA in March.

Hilary Benn: I have arranged for the documents entitled Nevirapine Use for a Second Pregnancy Is Beneficial in Preventing Mother-to-child Transmission of HIV, When Compared to a Transmission rate of 25 per cent. Without Drug Use", Very Low Verical HIV Transmission Rates Possible in Africa" and Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV" which were presented at the Conference on Retrovirals and Opportunistic Infections held in Boston from 23 to 25 February this year, to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

TRANSPORT

Caravans

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the size of vehicle required to tow safely a caravan that has (a) twin axles and (b) triple axles.

David Jamieson: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The Government have not carried out any assessment of vehicle size in relation to the towing of caravans.
	The suitability of a vehicle to tow a caravan (regardless of the number axles) is determined by the vehicle manufacturers usually as a result of their research and development programmes. The vehicle manufacturer determines the maximum weight of the trailer (caravan) to be towed by the vehicle and displays this on the vehicle data plate as the maximum train weight. The maximum train weight is the overall combined laden weight of the vehicle and the caravan (trailer) which should not be exceeded in any circumstances when used on the highway.

Caravans

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the maximum (a) length and (b) width is of a caravan that can be legally towed.

David Jamieson: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The maximum dimensions regarding the length and width of a caravan that can legally be towed on the roads of the UK is dependent on the maximum gross weight of thetowing vehicle.
	Towing vehicles with a maximum gross weight of 3500kg or below are permitted to tow a caravan with a maximum length of 7 metres and a width of 2.3 metres.
	Towing vehicles with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500kg are permitted to tow a caravan with a maximum length of 12 metres provided it is fitted with at least four wheels. In all other cases the maximum length is 7 metres. The maximum width is 2.55 metres.
	In either case the overall length of the towing vehicle and caravan combination must not exceed 18 metres or 18.75 metres if the towing vehicle was manufactured after 1 June 1998.

Myasthenia Gravis

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the eligibility of sufferers of myasthenia gravis for the Blue Badge scheme.

Charlotte Atkins: The Blue Badge scheme is designed primarily to assist people with severe difficulty in walking, whatever the cause of their disability. People who are registered blind also qualify under the Scheme. Drivers with a severe disability affecting both arms may also be eligible. Local authorities, which are responsible for administering the Scheme, will decide on an individual's eligibility on the basis of these criteria. People with myasthenia gravis will be eligible for a badge if they meet the criteria.

Railways

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers used Leicester railway station in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 in (i) morning peak hours, (ii) evening peak hours and (iii) off-peak hours.

Tony McNulty: The only available figures held centrally are based on a passenger count on departures from Leicester station taken for one day in November 2004.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 AM Peak (7am to 10am) 1,972 
			 PM Peak (4pm to 7pm) 2,454 
			 Off Peak (6am to 7am, 10am to 4pm and 7pm to 10pm) 3,444 
			 Total 7,870

Roadside Accidents

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will assess the merits of requiring car occupants to wear reflective jackets compliant to standard EN471 when leaving their vehicle at the roadside, except where the vehicle is parked; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will take steps to require car occupants leaving their vehicle by the roadside, except when the vehicle is parked, to wear reflective jackets compliant to standard EN471; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will make it a requirement that drivers carry at least one reflective jacket in their cars; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: We do not make it a requirement for any road user to wear reflective clothing. However, we do advise vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horseriders—to wear fluorescent clothing during the day and reflective clothing at night to improve their visibility to other road users. This advice is contained in the Highway Code.
	Drivers are generally less vulnerable. But the Code gives advice to them on where they should stand should their vehicle breakdown, with special advice for motorways. Our leaflet, A Guide to Safer Motorway Driving", also contains the advice on what to do when vehicles break down on motorways. While there are tragic accidents when drivers leave their vehicles, these are rare. We believe that drivers and occupants are not at great risk when they follow this advice—for example, for motorways they are advised to wait on a nearby bank or verge well away from the traffic. We therefore do not believe that we should go further and require the wearing of special clothing.

Speed Cameras

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation will be payable to (a) companies engaged in the supply of and (b) those who have bought equipment which detects the presence of speed cameras in the event of such equipment beingoutlawed under the provisions of the Road Safety Bill.

David Jamieson: The Government signalled their intentions in January 2001. The provision contained within the Road Safety Bill regarding speed assessment equipment detection devices would allow regulations to be made which would allow the continued use of Global Positioning Systems which contribute to road safety by informing drivers of the location of published safety camera sites. The provisions are designed to deal with devices whose purpose, or one of the purposes of which, is to detect or interfere with the operation of all police enforcement equipment used to assess the speed of motor vehicles.
	It would be inappropriate to compensate companies engaged in the supply, or users of equipment that enabled drivers to ignore speed limits and flout the law with impunity endangering other road users.

Traffic Commissioners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what authority a traffic commissioner has over members of staff in the Traffic Area Network.

David Jamieson: Staff in the Traffic Area Offices support traffic commissioners to enable them to exercise their responsibilities for operator licensing. Management responsibility for Traffic Area Office staff lies with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.

Transport Security Directorate

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who the Director is of the Transport Security Directorate for (a) Scotland and (b) Wales; and what role the (i) Scottish Executive and (ii) Welsh Assembly Government play in the Transport Security Directorate's operations.

Charlotte Atkins: As transport security is a reserved matter there is no separate Transport Security Directorate for Scotland and Wales. Relevant transport operations in Scotland and Wales come under the direction of the Department for Transport's Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate (TRANSEC). TRANSEC officials liaise with the devolved Administrations as appropriate.

Trunk Roads

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made with improvements to Non-Motorised User crossings of trunk roads in England; and what plans he has for further progress.

David Jamieson: By 31 March 2003, the Highways Agency completed surveys of all Non-Motorised User (NMU) crossing points on the trunk road network and drew up a provisional list of improvements, which would offer good value for money.
	The Highways Agency has completed approximately 90 discrete NMU related improvement schemes and plans to complete at least a further 14 such schemes in 2005–06. This figure does not include those NMU improvement elements that have been incorporated into other larger projects for delivery as part of the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements. Progress on delivery of NMU crossing improvements will continue to be monitored by the Agency.

Trunk Roads

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding he has allocated to the Highways Agency for Non-Motorised User crossing improvements over the financial years 2005–06 to 2007–08.

David Jamieson: Non-Motorised User (NMU) crossings are provided where justified as part of major schemes. In addition, small free-standing schemes are funded from the Highways Agency's small schemes budget. Following the recent Spending Review settlement, the Highways Agency is developing its detailed forward programme for small schemes, which include high value-for-money safety schemes, junction improvements, as well as environmental and accessibility improvement measures that include NMU crossings. Within this particular category of funding, the Highways Agency has indicative funding levels of £10 million, £6 million and £7 million respectively for the period 2005–06 to 2007–08 for Accessibility projects.

Trunk Roads

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current status of the A681 former trunk road through Sharneyford, near Bacup, Lancashire; and what weight restrictions are in operation upon it.

David Jamieson: The A681 at Sharneyford is a principal road and is the responsibility of the local highway authority, Lancashire county council. There are no weight restrictions currently in operation on the route.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Listed Places of Worship Grant

Anne McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners pursuant to his oral answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 20, what the take-up of the listed placesof worship grant scheme has been in the last 12 months.

Stuart Bell: 6,907 applications for VAT refunds have been made under this scheme since 1 April 2004 and roughly £6.5 million has been paid out, of which about 90 per cent. relates to Church of England places of worship.
	The Church is extremely grateful to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for extending the scheme until 2008 in his Budget.
	As the estimated annual spend on repairs and maintenance is nearly £100 million, there may be some parishes failing to claim. A proportion of repairs cover items which do not qualify under the scheme but there is still a strong suggestion that eligible works are being carried out on Church of England listed church buildings and no application is being made for a VAT refund.
	The C of E VAT Group is urging all parishes who have undertaken repair works to listed church buildings costing in excess of £1,000 to make a claim for the VAT refund on completion of the works.

Tourism

Ben Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will make a statement on the Church Commissioners' policy on the encouragement of tourism.

Stuart Bell: Cathedrals and churches are a major draw, not just in their own right but also as the part of the wider communities they serve. Making churches open and accessible raises challenges but congregations are responding with increasing professionalism, aided by advice from national and regional initiatives.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Incitement to Racial Hatred

David Winnick: To ask the Solicitor-General if the Attorney-General will refer the article written by Nasser Amin in the current student journal of the School of Oriental and African Studies to the Director of Public Prosecutions as incitement to racial hatred; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: If any person believes that a criminal offence has been committed, than they may report that allegation to the police. The police can then investigate the allegation and, where appropriate, refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration of whether a prosecution should be brought.
	Where the Crown Prosecution Service consider that a prosecution should be commenced for an offence of incitement to racial hatred, they seek the consent of the Attorney-General to prosecute.
	The Attorney-General has not to date been asked to consider giving consent to prosecute Nasser Amin for an offence of incitement to racial hatred.

Parliamentary Questions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Solicitor-General, pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column1075W, on parliamentary questions, whether the former deputy legal adviser in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Elizabeth Wilmhurst, was one of the three officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office referred to.

Harriet Harman: No.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Vehicles

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many motor vehicles have been abandoned in (a) Leicester South, (b) Leicester and (c) England since 1997.

Alun Michael: Statistics for abandoned vehicles removed and destroyed were first compiled in the Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey for 2000–01.
	Annual results for England and Leicester, as well as the total since the figures were first recorded in 2000–01 are listed in the following table.
	
		
			  England Leicester 
		
		
			 2000–01 230,000 1,416 
			 2001–02 286,000 1,434 
			 2002–03 310,000 1,758 
			 Total 826,400 4,608

Agricultural Employment

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed (a) full-time and (b) part-time in agriculture in England in each year from 1990 to 2004.

Alun Michael: The number of people employed in agriculture in England for the years 1990 to 2004 are shown in the table. The figures include family workers but exclude casual workers, farmers, partners, directors and salaried managers.
	
		Thousand
		
			  (a) Full-time (b) Part-time 
		
		
			 1990 100.0 45.7 
			 1991 95.6 45.1 
			 1992 91.7 43.3 
			 1993 88.3 42.9 
			 1994 86.0 42.5 
			 1995 83.4 42.6 
			 1996 81.6 42.6 
			 1997 80.6 41.9 
			 1998 79.2 41.0 
			 1999 73.6 37.2 
			 2000 64.2 32.7 
			 2001(1) 61.2 29.4 
			 2001(2) 62.8 30.3 
			 2002 58.6 28.7 
			 2003 52.6 26.2 
			 2004 50.4 28.3 
		
	
	(1)Shows the results assuming register improvements had not taken place (comparable with June 2000).
	(2)Shows the results including register improvements.
	Notes:
	1.Part-time is defined as less than 39 hours
	2.Due to the introduction of new questions in 1998 figures prior to this year are not directly comparable with earlier years' results.
	3.Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001, labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Census

Beekeeping

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons her Department has not issued a consultation document on its plans for the budget for the support of beekeepers in England.

Alun Michael: It is not our practice to issue consultation documents on expenditure plans. We plan to issue a consultation document on our proposal to remove European foul brood from the list of notifiable diseases of bees in the winter of 2006–07, when further data on the effectiveness of the 'shook swarm' technique will be available.

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the new general licence WLF18 for the control of certain species of birds which came into effect on 1 March 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: The general licence WLF 18 has been published and is available on the Defra website via the following link: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/forms/cons_man/wlf 18.pdf.

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the circumstances in which controlling pigeons on growing crops by non-lethal methods wouldbe (a) less effective and (b) less practical than shooting.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra have made no such specific assessment. However, in December 2003 the Central Science Laboratory published a report on the 'Review of international research literature regarding the effectiveness of auditory bird scaring techniques and potential alternatives'. A copy of this report can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/birdscaring/birdscaring.pdf
	This review, which was commissioned by Defra, did not include an assessment of shooting.

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what legal authority she transferred the responsibility given to her by S.16 (1A) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to decide whether there is no other satisfactory solution other than killing certain birds, to the authorised persons under the terms of the General Licence WLF18.

Ben Bradshaw: The Secretary of State has not transferred the responsibility given to her by S.16 (1A) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to decide whether there is no other satisfactory solution other than killing certain birds, to the authorised persons under the terms of the General Licence WLF18.
	The wording of three of the licences (prevention of damage/spread of disease, public safety and air safety) was changed to include reference to the authorised person satisfying himself regarding the effectiveness of alternative methods of control. The new condition was included in order to clarify that general licences properly meet our EC obligations by providing for an assessment of alternatives on a case by case basis.
	However, the final responsibility as regards other satisfactory solutions rests with the Secretary of State.

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish guidance to persons authorised under general licence WLF 18 on the criteria they should use to assess whether appropriate non-lethal methods of control are ineffective or impracticable.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra issued a press release on 9 March 2005 announcing the latest revisions to the general licence condition regarding non-lethal methods of control. There are no plans to publish further guidance.

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish advice she has received concerning the legal interpretation of condition 4 of general licence WLF18.

Ben Bradshaw: It is necessary for Defra, and other Government Departments, to obtain legal advice in order to formulate policy. Without such comprehensive advice the quality of the Government's decision making would be much reduced since it would not be fully informed and this would be contrary to the public interest.
	Disclosure of legal advice has a significant potential to prejudice the Government's ability to defend its legal interests—both directly, by unfairly exposing its legal position to challenge, and indirectly by diminishing the reliance it can place on the advice having been fully considered and presented without fear or favour. Neither of these scenarios is in the public interest
	It is for these reasons that Defra will not publish any legal advice it has received in respect of condition 4 of general licence WLF18.

Cormorants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department plans to amend its policy on the control of fish-eating wildlife other than cormorants.

Ben Bradshaw: We have no plans to amend the policy on the control of fish-eating wildlife.

Cormorants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department is taking to ensure that the granting of licences for the control of cormorants does not lead to the killing of nesting birds.

Ben Bradshaw: Licences to shoot cormorants are normally issued between 31 August and 15 April which avoids the main cormorant breeding season (eggs: 20 March to 1 July, unfledged young: 20 April to 1 September). Some licences are extended to 30 April if smolt runs are likely to be affected by cormorant predation.
	The presence of a cormorant nesting site close to a proposed licensed site is taken into consideration when assessing the suitability of the site for licensed action; the licence period may be adjusted to avoid taking cormorants which may have dependent young.
	English Nature is consulted on all applications for licences to shoot cormorants outside of t he normal" period of 31 August to 15 April. These applications may be refused on the basis of humaneness if nesting cormorants and their young are likely to be affected.

Cormorants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many individuals of each bird species, other than cormorants, have been killed as a result of licences granted to control cormorants since the change of policy on cormorant control.

Ben Bradshaw: We do not hold data on the numbers of individuals of bird species which have been killed as a result of licences granted to control cormorants.
	Licences are granted for the shooting of a specific number of cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) for a specific purpose (usually preventing serious damage to fisheries) and within a specified location and time frame. This is all clearly laid out on the licence. The shooting of any other species not identified on the licence, whether deliberate or by accident, is not authorised by the licence. A condition of a licence to shoot cormorants is to provide six-monthly returns of the number of cormorants shot under licence. Information on the accidental (or otherwise) shooting of other species is not requested.

Farm Holdings

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of farm holdings in England in each year from 1990 to 2004.

Alun Michael: The number of agricultural and horticultural holdings in England recorded for the years 1990 to 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1990 150,652 
			 1991 150,966 
			 1992 151,718 
			 1993 153,422 
			 1994 153,426 
			 1995 146,109 
			 1996 145,638 
			 1997 144,777 
			 1998 145,093 
			 1999 147,220 
			 2000 167,855 
			 2001 177,934 
			 2002 187,871 
			 2003 190,687 
			 2004 192,824 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures prior to 2000 are for main holdings only, from 2000 onwards main and minor holdings are included. A holding is defined as minor if it meets all of the following conditions:
	(a)the total area is less than 6 hectares
	(b)the labour requirement is estimated to be less than 100 standard person-days
	(c)there is no regular full-time farmer or worker
	(d)the glasshouse area is less than 100 square metres
	(e)the occupier does not farm another holding
	2.The number of holdings in later years reflects changes in administrative recording.
	Source:
	June agricultural census

Farm Prices

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm-gate prices paid to farmers for supply of (a) dairy produce, (b) meat and (c) fruit and vegetables.

Alun Michael: The information requested is as follows:
	Dairy produce
	Nearly all milk produced in the UK leaves the farm as raw milk which is then processed into milk for liquidconsumption or manufactured milk products (cheese, butter etc.). The farm-gate price of milk was provisionally 18.5 pence per litre in 2004 1 , 9 per cent. higher than in 2000 (when farm-gate milk prices were at their lowest in recent years).
	Meat
	In 2004 the average price for clean cattle in the UK was provisionally 101.2 pence per kilogram liveweight 2 , 13 per cent. higher than in 2000. The average price for clean pigs in the UK was provisionally 102.7 pence per kilogram deadweight, 9 per cent. higher than in 2000. The average price for clean sheep in Great Britain was provisionally 263.6 pence per kilogram dressed carcase weight, 34 per cent. higher than in 2000.
	1 Survey of the value of milk purchased from producers conducted in England and Wales (Defra), Scotland (SEERAD) and NI (DARDNI).
	2 Meat and Livestock Commission market data.
	
		Fruit and Vegetables—Selected farm-gate prices of fruit and vegetables -- £ per tonne(3)
		
			  2000 2004 Percentage change 
		
		
			 Dessert apples 357.8 376.4 5 
			 Culinary apples 215.3 378.1 76 
			 Pears 283.3 348.1 23 
			 Cabbages 192.3 204.8 7 
			 Carrots 103.6 194.0 87 
			 Tomatoes 751.6 724.0 -4 
			 Cauliflower 274.1 289.0 5 
		
	
	(3)Wholesale market prices adjusted to convert to farm-gate prices.

Farm Subsidies

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of how many farmers will (a) gain and (b) lose from the redistribution of the dairy premium to be made under the Single Farm Payment Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: A detailed analysis of how English dairy farmers stand to benefit or lose out relative to historic entitlements is provided in the document; CAP Single Payment Scheme, Basis for Allocation of Entitlement, Impact of the Scheme to be Adopted in England, which is available in the Library of the House and on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/capreform/background/pdf/webnoterev16.pdf
	By the end of the transitional period some sectors will have gained or lost against historical subsidy receipts. Generally speaking, flat rate payments redistribute subsidy from more intensive to less intensive producers and to land not formerly in receipt of subsidy. On average larger dairy farmers will receive lower payments under this system than under one based on historic receipts whereas smaller farms will on average be better off. We believe that the eight-year transition to the flat rate payment will give all farmers time to adjust.
	All payments to dairy farmers in the UK, as for other recipients of the Single Payment, will be decoupled from production, and therefore are no longer linked to particular farming activity. In a decoupled subsidy environment, farmers should only produce milk if they can do so profitably.

Farm Subsidies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why the (a) dairy payment and (b) additional dairy payment are being redistributed to all farmers entitled to the single farm payment; and whether she plans to reconsider the decision to make such payments.

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced in a statement to the House on 12 February 2004, Official Report, columns 1585–1602, that all possible CAP direct payments, including the dairy premium and additional payment, would be decoupled in the UK at the earliest possible stage—that is in 2005—and that the flat rate model of the Single Payment would be adopted in England.
	Those decisions were taken after very careful consideration of the arguments put forward in response to our consultation exercises on these matters. Those responses revealed a significant body of support for decoupling payments, recognising that the more fully support is decoupled, the greater the degree of freedom farmers will be given in respect of their business decisions.
	A wide variety of often conflicting views were offered in respect of the Single Payment model, but our decision was ultimately guided by several key principles, namely:
	coherence with the Curry Commission report and our own Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy launched in 2002, in particular with the emphasis in both on bringing the industry closer to the market and on the increasing importance of environmentally-sensitive farming;
	consistency with our wider objectives for the Common Agricultural Policy, including greater simplicity, transparency, minimal bureaucracy and as few deductions as possible from the basic payment available; and
	the need to attract the widest possible support of the stakeholder community, for ongoing payments to farming which, we believe, requires us to move towards a system in which public money is delivering public goods.
	We recognise the special circumstances the dairy sector is in, but remain of the view that its long-term interests are best served by the decisions I have referred to.

Fisheries

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total fishing effort in km/hours using gill net and tangle net gear in the English Channel and Celtic Sea, ICES areas VIId, e, f, g, h and j was in (a) the 12 metre and over sector and (b) under 12 metre sector in the last period for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the length of time gill and tangle nets are left at sea for each individual fishing session is not collected. These sessions can often span more than one fishing trip. As such, the information requested is not available.

Fisheries

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK fishing vessels fish with (a) gill net and (b) tangle net; and what length of each type of net is deployed.

Ben Bradshaw: Reliable information on the number of UK vessels fishing with gill nets and tangle nets is only available for those over 10 metres in length. In 2004, 84of these fished with gill nets and 34 with tangle nets. The length of each type of net can typically be between 100 metres and 10,000 metres depending on the species being targeted.

Harmful Cargoes

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2005, Official Report, column 1936W, on harmful cargoes, if she will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 when monitoring of (a) fish stocks and (b) other marine wildlife has been instigated following the loss of a harmful cargo into the sea, giving in each case the nature of the cargo, the period of monitoring and the results of that monitoring.

Ben Bradshaw: On 15 February 1996, the Sea Empress" laden with over 72,000 tonnes crude oil ran aground off Milford Haven. Extensive monitoring continued for two years covering the contamination with oil of seawater, sediment, fish, shellfish and edible plants and seaweeds with oil as detailed in the report. The main impacts all occurred at the time of the incident or shortly afterwards and there appeared to have been few major long-term effects. A full assessment was provided in the final report of the Sea Empress Environmental Evaluation Committee, published in 1998. A more detailed summary of the report is available at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_shipping/documents/page/dft_shipping_505333.hcsp.
	On 31 October 2000, the levoli Sun" was abandoned and later sunk approximately 11 miles North West of Alderney. The vessel carried a mixed cargo of 4,000 tonnes styrene, 1,000 tonnes methyl ethyl ketone and 1,000 tonnes isopropyl alcohol. More than 1,000 tonnes styrene was lost to sea during the incident. Analysis of edible tissues from crabs recovered one week later from pots laid very close to the wreck prior to the incident demonstrated only low-level styrene contamination that posed no risk to humans. The remainder of the styrene and the ship's main bunker fuel were recovered from the wreck on the seabed. Full details are provided in R.J. Law, C. Kelly, P. Matthiessen and J. Aldridge (2003) The loss of the chemical tanker levoli Sun in the English Channel, October 2000. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46: 254–257.
	On 29 June 2003, the Jambo" carrying 3,300 tonnes sphalerite ore ran aground on rocks off the Summer Isles North West of Ullapool. Sphalerite is mainly composed of zinc sulphide and contains traces of other metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic. Monitoring included testing water, sediments and shellfish for zinc, toxicity testing and measuring the solubility of metallic elements in the sphalerite ore. It showed that measured levels of zinc in the water were mostly very low. Toxic impacts of zinc to water column animals are therefore considered very unlikely. Measured levels of zinc in sediments are very low except in the immediate vicinity of the wreck (-100 metres) so toxic and smothering impacts to benthic (seabed) animals are therefore expected to be similarly localised. There is currently no evidence to suggest that the discharged cargo from the Jambo has resulted in persistent elevated levels of zinc, cadmium or arsenic in scallop or crab tissues. It is concluded that eating shellfish from the area around the Jambo incident does not raise any food safety concerns for consumers. The final report of the Jambo Environment Group to the Secretary of State's Representative was published in July 2004 and can be obtained from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at: http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/environment_group_report-5.pdf. An environmental monitoring programme will continue each year until 2007.

Meat Imports (China)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on EU rules regarding the importing of meat from China.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Imports of red meat from China are not permitted. Imports of poultry meat were banned in January 2002 following the detection in animal products of residues of veterinary medicines.
	Bans on some animal products e.g. honey, Royal jelly and rabbit meat have since been lifted following the implementation in China of corrective measures and the guarantees provided by their competent authorities.
	However, an inspection visit to China by European Commission Inspectors identified some deficiencies with respect to the production of poultry meat intended for export to the EU. Given that, and the outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in China, the ban on imports of poultry meat has been retained.
	All meat imported into the EU from third countries must enter at designated Border Inspection Posts where they are subject to veterinary inspections to ensure import conditions are met.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when she will reply to question reference 218475 from the hon. Member for St. Ives;
	(2)  when she will reply to question reference 218366 from the hon. Member for St. Ives;
	(3)  when she will reply to question reference 218367 from the hon. Member for St. Ives;
	(4)  when she will reply to question reference 218326 from the hon. Member for St. Ives;
	(5)  when she will reply to question reference 218455 from the hon. Member for St. Ives.

Alun Michael: The information is as follows:
	Parliamentary question 218475 from the hon. Member for St. Ives was answered on 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1030W.
	Parliamentary question 218366 from the hon. Member for St. Ives was answered on 3 March 2005, Official Report, column 1274W.
	Parliamentary question 218367 from the hon. Member for St. Ives was answered on 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1032W.
	Parliamentary question 218326 from the hon. Member for St. Ives was answered on 3 March 2005, Official Report, column 1274W.
	Parliamentary question 218455 from the hon. Member for St. Ives was answered on 10 March 2005, Official Report, column 1938W.

Sikh Employees

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is on the wearing of the Kirpan by Sikh employees.

Alun Michael: The Department's commitment not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of religion or belief is set out clearly in its equal opportunities policy.
	The Department does not have a formal policy on the carrying/wearing of knives but as the Kirpan is a religious symbol and is usually securely wrapped and worn under clothing it would be permitted providing it was safe to do so.
	The Department's Diversity and Equality Unit has produced guidance for staff in the rights and responsibilities arising from the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. The guidance incorporated practical advice for staff and managers to consider to help colleagues establish a good work/life balance in relation to their religious observance. This guidance forms part of the internal website, which also includes a calendar of religious festivals, guidance for staff on cultural differences and information for accommodation managers regarding prayer rooms. Where it is practicable, managers are encouraged to allow staff from non-Christian religions to work on privilege days and take the equivalent time to meet their individual needs for either cultural or religious observance.
	Religious discrimination is addressed in all diversity training courses, including our e-learning multi-media interactive IT training package. This package can be accessed by staff at their desks, or used as part of a formal group training exercise.

Single Farm Payment

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent advice she has received from the European Agriculture Commissioner on the legality of making the Single Farm Payment in more than one stage.

Alun Michael: Our understanding from various contacts with the European Commission is that making the Single Payment in more than one stage would probably require an amendment to EU legislation. The Agriculture Commissioner has agreed with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, that it would be helpful for respective officials to examine the position in more detail. That work is continuing.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

General Election Candidates (Expenditure Limits)

Graham Allen: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission whether the Commission intends to review the limits on expenditure by candidates in general elections; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission's recommendations in respect of the variation of election expenses for candidates at UK parliamentary elections, published in January 2005, have been accepted by the Government and came into force on 4 March 2005.
	In its report on The funding of political parties" published at the end of 2004 the Commission stated that, after the next General Election, it would undertake a review of the balance between candidate and party spending limits.

Electoral Registration

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what plans the Commission has to review the system of electoral registration.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission's report The electoral registration process", published in May 2003, recommended the implementation of a range of measures designed to make the registration process more straightforward and user-friendly for voters, and to enhance security. Key proposals include the introduction of a system based on the collection and use of individual identifiers; the development of a UK-wide electronic register; and changes to allow voters to register closer to the date of an election.
	The Government's Response to the Commission's report was published in December 2004 as Cm 6426.

TREASURY

Aircraft Carriers

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made, or have been made on his behalf, to companies involved in the CVF programme concerning final assembly of the proposed aircraft carriers.

Paul Boateng: Discussions with companies involved in the CVF programme concerning final assembly of the proposed aircraft carriers are a commercial matter for the Ministry of Defence and not for HM Treasury.

Child Trust Fund Accounts

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 16 February 2005, Official Report, column 66W, on Child Trust Fund Accounts, when he expects a resolution of the issues necessary for credit unions to offer child trust fund cash deposit accounts.

Stephen Timms: I refer my hon. Friend to Chapter 5 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report published last week.

Cigarette Smuggling

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of cigarette smuggling was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Healey: The estimated level of cigarettes smuggled in each of the last four full financial years are given in table 3.9 and table 3.10 of Measuring and Tackling Indirect Tax Losses", published by HM Customs and Excise in December 2004 and available from the House Library. The estimated level of smuggled cigarettes for 1999–2000 in market share and volume can be found in table 3.2 and table 3.3 of Measuring indirect tax losses" published in November 2002, which is also available from the House Library.

Cigarette Smuggling

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with cigarette manufacturers on measures to reduce smuggling.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise have Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Gallaher. As part of these, Customs meet regularly to discuss developments in the tobacco market, including measures to reduce smuggling.

Departmental Teams

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) purpose and (b) functions of his Department's (i) local government team, (ii) housing and urban team and (iii) devolved countries and regions team are; and how many civil servants are employed in each.

Paul Boateng: The purpose of all three teams is to work with ODPM, the devolved Administrations, regional institutions and local government to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of the public services they deliver consistent with agreed spending plans.
	The local government team consists of nine civil servants.
	The housing and urban team consists of 12 civil servants.
	The devolved countries and regions team consists of 10 civil servants.

Domiciliary Care Workers (Leicester)

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of unregistered paid domiciliary care workers in (a) Leicester and (b) Leicester, South in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Parmjit Singh Gill, dated 21 March 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about care workers in Leicester. I am replying in his absence.
	The table overleaf gives the available information relating to numbers of care workers, resident in the Parliamentary Constituency of Leicester South and the Unitary Authority of Leicester, for the twelve-month periods ending February 2002 to 2004. Comparable information is not available for earlier years. Information is not held about whether or not these care workers were registered.
	Estimates are taken from the Office for National Statistic's Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
	
		Number of care workers(4) resident in the unitary authority of Leicester and Leicester, South parliamentary constituency
		
			 12 months ending February each year Leicester unitary authority Leicester, South parliamentary constituency 
		
		
			 2002 2,000 1,000 
			 2003 3,000 1,000 
			 2004 3,000 1,000 
		
	
	(4)Care workers include care assistants and home carers only.
	Note:
	These estimates are based on very small sample sizes and are subject to a very high degree of sampling variability. Changes from year to year, especially, should be treated with caution.
	Source:
	ONS—Labour Force Survey

ECOFIN

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1) what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held on 17 February; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held on 8 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: At ECOFIN on Thursday 17 February Council Opinions on the Stability and Convergence programmes for Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Finland were all adopted.
	The Council adopted a decision under Article 104(9) of the Treaty recommending measures for Greece to correct its excessive deficit. The Council extended the 2005 deadline to 2006. The Council welcomed the commitment of Greek authorities to continue with their fiscal consolidation effort.
	Commissioner Almunia outlined the key components of the Commission's Strategy on Fiscal Statistics (adopted last December), which includes the building of the legal framework, improving the operational capacities of the relevant Commission services, and establishing European standards on the independence of national statistical institutes for the fulfilment of their mission. Conclusions were adopted.
	Discussion of Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) reform options took place, on both the preventative arm and the corrective arm of the SGP. The UK highlighted that proper account needed to be taken of the economic cycle, of debt sustainability and of public investment.
	An orientation debate was held on European Economic Reform ahead of the Spring European Council on 22 and 23 March 2005. Three items were discussed: draft Council Conclusions following the Commission's Implementation report on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines (BEPGs); a Key Issues Paper put forward by the Presidency; and the Commission's Spring Report on the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy. The Conclusions on the BEPGs were adopted. The UK supported the Commission's call for a renewed focus on growth and jobs. The Presidency concluded that the momentum for the Lisbon Strategy had to be maintained, jobs and growth should be prioritised as Europe's relative performance is weak; and Lisbon National Action Programmes were important for increasing the implementation of reforms.
	On Financial Perspectives for the period 2007–13 the Presidency set out a work programme with a view to political agreement in June.
	At ECOFIN on Tuesday 8 March Council opinions on the Convergence Programmes for Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia and the UK and on the Stability Programme of Spain were all agreed.
	A Recommendation (Article 104.7) to Hungary to correct its excessive deficit was agreed.
	The Council examined the principle elements for reform of the Stability and Growth pact ahead of the Spring European Council on 22 and 23 March 2005. Further discussion is planned at a meeting of Ministers on 20 March 2005.
	In the context of the Lisbon economic reform agenda, ECOFIN adopted its Key Issues Paper in preparation for European Council on 22 and 23 March 2005.
	The Commission outlined the key points of member states' Annual Contributions to the Growth Initiative and informed Ministers that the European Investment Bank (EIB) would be undertaking a mid-term Review of the Initiative by 2007. Council conclusions were adopted. The Commission informed the Council that the Communication on Better Regulation would be published on 16 March. As part of this, the Commission indicated that the pilot projects on reducing the administrative burdens on businesses would be completed this year. I reiterated the need for the pilot phase to be completed by September and the Commission undertook to consider this.
	The Council adopted Guidelines for the 2006 Budgetary Procedure and a Recommendation for Discharge of the 2003 EC Budget.

Fraud

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions the UK Government have reported (a) fraud and (b) other irregularities to the European Anti Fraud Office in the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The United Kingdom has reported irregularities, which includes fraud, on a quarterly basis to the European Commission and the European Anti Fraud Office, as required under Regulations 1150/2000, as amended by Regulation 2028/2004 (Own Resources), 595/91 (Agriculture) and 1681/94 (Structural Funds). Details of the amounts involved and the number of cases can be found in the European Commission's annual Fight against Fraud" reports. The report, and its annexes, for 2003 was published on 30 August 2004.

Insurance

John Greenway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the cost implications for general insurance policies arising from the recent European Court of Justice decision that outsourced services in the insurance industry do not qualify for VAT exemption.

Stephen Timms: HM Customs and Excise and HM Treasury officials are currently examining the European Court of Justice's decision in detail and discussing with industry representatives its likely impact on the insurance industry.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen) of 31 January 2005, Official Report, columns 597–98W, what his most recent estimate is of how much has been transferred from the reserve to cover the costs of UK involvement in Iraq.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 10 March 2005
	In Budget 2003 the Chancellor set aside £3 billion as a special reserve to cover the cost of military operations in Iraq. £1 billion was drawn down by the Ministry of Defence in the spring supplementary estimate for 2002–03.
	In the 2003 pre-Budget report, the Government carried forward the £2 billion unallocated special reserve into 2003–04 and added a further £500 million in 2003–04. £300 million was also added in 2004–05 as a prudent allowance against continuing commitments in Iraq and elsewhere in the war against terrorism. A further £520 million for the special reserve in 2004–05 was announced by the Chancellor in the 2004 pre-Budget report.
	The Ministry of Defence drew down £1,539 million in the 2003–04 winter and spring supplementary estimates and £950 million in the 2004–05 spring supplementary estimate for the costs of military operations in Iraq.

Ministerial Visit (Beijing)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had with the Chinese Government during his recent visit to Beijing concerning the position taken by China on the UN Security Council over Sudan and Darfur.

Gordon Brown: In Beijing I had discussions with Premier Wen and Finance Minister Jin, on a wide range of issues including foreign policy.

Official Entertainment

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the individuals who have been officially entertained at number 11 Downing street since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The information requested could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

Official Residences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the official residences for which his Department is responsible; who occupies each one; what the annual cost is of running each property; what contribution the current occupants make towards the running costs of each; what the total capital and refurbishment expenditure has been on those properties in each of the past five years; how much money was spent in each property on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills and (e) electricity and gas in 2003–04; how many (i)domestic and (ii) maintenance staff are employed at each property, broken down by post; and what the total cost of staff employment at each was in 2003–04.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answers he received from the Prime Minister on 20 January 2005, Official Report, column 1037W, and the former Financial Secretary (Ruth Kelly) on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 1097W, and to my answer to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk) on 16 November 2004, Official Report, column 1267W. I very much regret that my answer inadvertently contained an incorrect figure: the running costs of the Treasury's residential property in 2003–04 were in fact £127,428 (and not £162,858).
	Information relating to expenditure on flowers and plants, wine and entertaining, food, telephone bills and electricity and gas is not available. No maintenance or domestic staff are employed by the Treasury in respect of the flat at 10 Downing Street.

Red Diesel

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will be bringing forward, with the Treasury, plans to reform the use of red diesel by excepted vehicles.

John Healey: HM Treasury and HM Customs and Excise have recently closed a consultation exercise on excepted vehicles entitled to use red diesel. A number of responses have been received, raising a range of issues, and these are currently being analysed. Decisions on whether or not to proceed with changes to the excepted vehicle schedule will be taken once this consideration is complete.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants were penalised for failing to report changes in circumstances which must be reported within three months in the (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05 tax year.

Dawn Primarolo: Families are required to inform Inland Revenue of any change in the adults heading the family within three months of the change. They are also required to inform Inland Revenue within three months if use of qualifying child care ceases or if child care costs fall by £10 a week or more for a period of at least four weeks.
	(a) In order to give families time to adjust to the requirements of the system, in 2003–04 the Inland Revenue did not issue penalties to families who failed to report such changes in the required time period or before their award was finalised.
	(b) It is not possible to distinguish how many penalties were issued in respect of current awards for 2004–05 following a failure to report a required change in circumstances from those issued as a result of a misrepresentation on the original claim. The total number of penalties issued for these reasons is 33.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Regional Museums (Funding)

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on funding for regional museums.

Tessa Jowell: Over the period 2002 to 2008 the Government are providing £147 million in funding for regional Museums through the Renaissance in the Regions programme devised and delivered by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. I am pleased that the additional £15 million we are providing in 2007–08 will enable the benefits of Renaissance to be rolled out to all nine English regions.

National Lottery (Unclaimed Prizes)

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total amount of unclaimed Lottery prizes is; and what the largest single unclaimed amount is.

Richard Caborn: As at 25 February 2005, the total payments to the National Lottery Distribution Fund in respect of unclaimed prizes were £711.1 million. The largest single unclaimed amount is £7,039,469.

Footballers' Behaviour

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has made to football ruling bodies on the impact of players' behaviour on young people; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: I wrote to all Football Club Chairman at the start of the current season to remind them about the issue of fair play and the responsibility their players have in being positive role models for the game. It is important that the Football authorities take a tough stance on this issue and ensure that match officials have their full support when dealing with poor behaviour during games.

Licensing Act 2003

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on how the issue of saturation is being dealt with under the Licensing Act 2003.

Richard Caborn: On 7 July last year, we published our Guidance to licensing authorities and this is available in the House Library and also on our website www.culture.gov.uk. Our advice on assessing the local cumulative impact of licensing applications made under the 2003 Act can be found in sections 3.13–3.28 of the Guidance.

Women in Sport

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives she is taking to promote public recognition of the role of women in sport.

Tessa Jowell: The Government strategy to promote the role of women in sport involves: boosting participation, ensuring continued success for women elite athletes and putting women in leadership positions in British sport. The public recognition of the role of women in sport is most evident in the bi-annual Honours Lists. The most recent examples of the recognition of women being the award of Damehoods to Kelly Holmes, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Ellen MacArthur.

Women in Sport

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what strategy her Department is using to increase the number of women on the decision-making boards and committees of sporting bodies.

Tessa Jowell: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport carries out targeted search to encourage women and other under-represented groups to put themselves forward for consideration for public appointments in all areas.

Tote Privatisation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the privatisation of the Tote.

Richard Caborn: We remain committed to the sale of the Tote to a racing trust, subject to clearance of the sale terms by the European Commission.

Binge Drinking

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contribution her Department is making to the Government's efforts to tackle binge drinking.

Richard Caborn: The Government believe that the current licensing regime exacerbates binge drinking by encouraging people to drink as much as possible before last orders—our licensing reforms will put an end to this practice. More widely, and in support of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, in January we announced further proposals to tackle the culture of binge drinking, including Alcohol Disorder Zones; new penalties for disorder; and closure powers related to underage drinking.

Antarctic Huts

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust regarding the future of the huts used by the British explorers Scott and Shackleton in Antarctica; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: In September 2004, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Media and Heritage, met the High Commissioner of New Zealand and the UK Consultant to the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust to discuss proposals by the Trust to preserve the huts of the Antarctic explorers Scott and Shackleton. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also discussed the on-going preservation and conservation of these huts with the Prime Minister of New Zealand which has territorial responsibility for the Ross Dependency in Antarctica where the huts are located.
	Sir Neil Cossons, Chairman of English Heritage, visited Antarctica from 25 January to 1 February 2005 as part of a small group invited by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust. The purpose of his visit was to ascertain what advice and expertise English Heritage could offer to the New Zealand Government and the Trust on the conservation of the Scott and Shackleton huts located in the Ross Sea Region of the continent.
	The British Government are keen to support New Zealand's efforts to preserve these historic huts. In 2002, the Government, through the Government of the British Antarctic Territory, donated £70,000 to support the proposed Ross Sea heritage restoration project developed by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust. Officials in my Department have also been exploring funding options to assist with this but no suitable sources of funding within the UK heritage sector have been found. However, the Government will continue to support fund raising efforts for the preservation of these unique huts.

Arts (Public Spending)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on public spending on the arts in 2004–05.

Estelle Morris: A total of £507.5 million of public money has been allocated to Arts Council England for spending on the arts to date in 2004–05. This consists of £367 million of Grant in Aid and £140.5 million from the National Lottery Distribution Fund.
	In addition, local authorities up and down the country are spending significant sums of money on the arts. While we have no current figures for this, a survey in 2002–03 suggested that this was then at least £261 million.

Cairngorms

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the possibility of the Cairngorms being designated a world heritage site; what the process for that would be; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The Government has recognised the potential for the Cairngorms being designated as a World Heritage Site by its inclusion on the Tentative List of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which was published in 1999. The Tentative List is an inventory of properties in a territory which the State Party considers suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List and inclusion on the Tentative List is necessary before a property can be nominated for consideration by the World Heritage Committee.

EU Sport Provisions

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the provisions of (a) existing EU treaties and (b) the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, relating to sport;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the areas in which the institutions of the European Union regulate UK sport; and whether these regulations could be widened under the provisions of Article III-282 of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Richard Caborn: The existing European Union treaties contain no provisions that relate directly to sport, but EU law has implications for the conduct of some sporting activities (for example because of the rules on competition and free movement of workers).
	Articles 1–17 and III-282 of the Constitutional Treaty provide for a limited competence in relation to sport under which the Union may only act to support, co-ordinate or complement member states' action. But the Constitutional Treaty expressly precludes any harmonisation of member states' laws and regulations in the area of sport.

EU Sport Provisions

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the reasons underlying the inclusion of sporting issues in the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe.

Richard Caborn: The proposal to create a specific EU competence for sport was first introduced in the draft treaty establishing a constitution for Europe proposed by the convention on the future of Europe. Articles I-17 and III-282 of the constitutional treaty set out what was eventually agreed.
	The Government are content with these provisions because it is clear that the Union may only act to support, co-ordinate or complement member states' action. The treaty also expressly precludes any harmonisation of member states' laws in the area of sport. The constitutional treaty is therefore fully consistent with the Government's view that sport is primarily a matter for the member states.

EU Sport Provisions

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what projects and organisations received funding from the European Union during the last financial year under EC budget lines (a) 15 04 02 01 (framework programme in support of culture), (b) 15 04 02 03 (preparatory actions for co-operations on cultural matters) and (c) 15 05 04 (European year of education through sport); how much was spent in total; and what funding is available during the next financial year.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) Framework Programme in Support of Culture (Culture 2000)—EC Budget line 15 04 02 01.
	233 European cultural projects have been offered grants in 2004 under the Culture 2000 programme. They will share approximately £22 million in funding. A list with descriptions of the funded projects is available at the following website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/culture/cac/index_en.htmi.
	The total available under this programme in 2005 will be approximately £14 million.
	(b) Preparatory Actions for Co-operation on Cultural Matters—EC Budget line 15 04 02 03
	From 2002 to 2004, the EC budget included funds for preparatory actions for co-operation on cultural matters. This appropriation had a limited budget (£1.5 million in 2004) and was intended to finance measures aimed at developing cultural co-operation. The table provides details of the six projects selected in 2004.
	
		
			  Project title  Objective EU funding (£) 
		
		
			 Generation Europe Social inclusion 204,682 
			 Wonderland-architectural network Encourage partnerships 92,873 
			 Foreign editions Translating literature 238,929 
			 Promoting European live music Promoting young musicians and facilitating exchanges 640,504 
			 Gateway to cultural co- operation Information for cultural practitioners 208,720 
			 Les Metropoles de I'Europe Compare data on artistic practice 58,157 
			 Total  1,443,865 
		
	
	(c) European Year of Education Through Sport—EC Budget line 15 05 04
	The following table provides details of the projects and organisations that received funding under the auspices of the European year of education through sport (EYES) 2004, totalling approximately £364,112. EYES 2004 has now ended, and the EU has not committed any further funds for projects in the year 2005.
	
		
			  Project applicant  Project focus EU funding (£) 
		
		
			 City of Hull Education Department To develop a series of study activities for young people in the Kingston Stadium who were disaffected with their mainstream studies 38,987 
			 UK Sport 'Clean Start' production of resources to be used in educational contexts to inform young people of the issues and dangers of drug misuse in sport 26,456 
			 The Football Association of England 'Learning through football' used Euro 2004 as catalyst for a teaching resource and the organisation of mini soccer tournaments across the country. 39,683 
			 Leeds City Council Education Department 'LEAP' organised a sports camp for young people, at risk of social exclusion, from across Europe. 34,114 
			 Loughborough University Researched the impact sport can have in supporting asylum seekers in their attempts to integrate into a new community 38,987 
			 Easington School Sport Partnership The organisation of a 'health, fitness and activity camp' for several hundred young people form twinned areas across Europe 31,329 
			 Essex County Council Sport Development Unit Implementing a strategy to encourage young people in schools to link to the local sports clubs in rural Essex 8,354 
			 Renfrewshire Council The development of a group of young sports leaders who would eventually work in sports clubs in schools and local clubs 17,405 
			 Ross County Football Club A 'Health and nutrition roadshow' to visit local schools to help young people and their families develop 14,620 
			 Ipswich Rugby Union Club Linking school/communities of Ipswich and Arras in France through the medium of rugby 14,620 
			 Belfast City Council The staging of a conference to assist in the development of a national approach to physical education and sport in all schools 33,418 
			 Glasgow City Council The organisation of an international conference sharing good practice on the use of sport development to support young people in their communities 19,494 
			 Gateshead Borough Council A conference linked to the staging of the European junior clubs athletics championships. The conference examined the issues and approaches and young people in sport that are experienced around the United Kingdom and Europe 16,709 
			 Buckinghamshire Disability Sport Partnership A two day seminar to look at the development of a strategy to improve the integration of young disabled people into sporting activities 11,139 
			 Atlantic Challenge (funding subsequently withdrawn by EU but event still held under EYES objectives and supported by UK) The organisation of an international rowing and sailing event for young people from 17 nations. The activities also include educational and vocational development activities. 8,354 
			 British Universities Sports Association An international conference specifically focused on how to improve the transition of young sports people from school sport to sport in higher education 10,443 
			 Total  364,112

EU Sport Provisions

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the projects relating to sport that her Department has funded in partnership with institutions of the European Union during the past 12 months; and what further projects are planned.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not directly funded any projects relating to sport in partnership with EU institutions in the past 12months. However, one of the Department's non-departmental public bodies, UK Sport, did partly fund the Clean Start" project, which was 50 per cent. funded by the European Commission, under the auspices of the European Year of Education through Sport 2004. This project produced educational resources to inform young people of the issues and dangers of drug misuse in sport. There are no plans to fund further projects in partnership with European institutions at present.

Gloucester Cultural Centre

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the funding available to bid for projects under the private finance initiative; and if she will make such funding available to build a Gloucester cultural centre.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has 130 million private finance initiative (PFI) credits available to support new schemes in the latest joint bidding round, which is being run between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Health and the DCMS. DCMS priorities for this bidding round are projects that will promote the modernisation of the public library service and the creation of multi-sport facilities. The closing date for expressions of interest, which is the first stage in a two stage application process, was 12 March 2005. We have received Gloucestershire county council's and Gloucester city council's expression of interest for a new cultural centre, and we will be assessing it together with the other expressions of interest we have received. We hope that the process can be completed and authorities notified of theresults in June 2005. Further information about the latest bidding round, in the form of guidance to local authorities seeking to apply, can be found at www.local.odpm.gov.uk/pfi/bidguid.pdf

Licence Fees

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of premises licensed under (a) the Licensing Act 1964, (b) the London Government Act 1963 and (c) the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 which will fall into each of the rateable value bands for licence fees under the Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations; how many in each category will be required to pay the fee multiplier; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: As at 30 June 2004, in England and Wales there were 113,370 on-licensed premises; 46,582 off-licensed premises; and 19,913 registered clubs. These figures can be found in the DCMS publication Statistical Bulletin Liquor Licensing (England and Wales, July 2003—June 2004)" which was deposited on 27 October 2004 in the House Libraries. This document is also available on the DCMS website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/research/statistics_outputs/liquor_licensing_statistics.htm
	The total number of public entertainment licences issued under the London Government Act 1963 and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 is not known. Licensing authorities hold figures for theirown authority areas and these are not collected centrally. However, surveys suggest that 46,000 public entertainment licences are issued in England and Wales annually.
	We have not made any estimates of the distribution of these premises across the fee bands for the 2003 Act by category of existing licence. However, the Regulatory Impact Assessment that accompanied the finalised fees estimated the distribution of all licensed premises across the fee bands as follows:
	
		
			 Band Non-domestic rateable value (£) Percentage of premises in band 
		
		
			 A 0–4,300 19 
			 B 4,301–33,000 60 
			 C 33,001–87,000 13 
			 D 87,001–125,000 3 
			 E 125,001 and over 5 
		
	
	The fee multiplier applies to premises primarily or exclusively engaged in the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises that fall into fee Bands D and E. Premises in Band D would pay twice the normal application fee and annual fee; and those in Band E would pay three times the normal application fee and annual fee. It is difficult to estimate precisely how many premises will meet these definitions. However, we believe there will be at least 2,000 such premises and, at most, 4,000.

Participation Survey (Children)

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she intends to begin collecting data for children under the Survey of Participation in Sport and Culture.

Richard Caborn: The new DCMS survey of participation in sport and culture is scheduled to begin in July 2005. Initially information will be collected from adults and young people aged 16 and above, with data collection from children aged 11 to 15 currently planned to follow from January 2006.

Public Libraries (Internet)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of local authorities that offer free internet access in their public libraries.

Richard Caborn: The People's Network has been a huge success with 60 million internet hours made available and 11.7 million user sessions in 2002–03 across UK public libraries. The vast majority, 83 per cent. of English library authorities do not make a charge. In line with Government policy on access to the internet for all, when the People's Network was installed, those authorities who were intending to charge were required to have concessionary arrangements for disadvantaged groups of users.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to maximise the contribution to the economy of the tourism, creative and leisure industries.

Richard Caborn: The public service agreement target that underpins the Department's economy Strategic Priority is
	to improve the productivity of the tourism, creative and leisure industries".
	Information on the Department's performance against this public service agreement target was published on 22 December 2004 in the DCMS Autumn Performance Report (Cm 6435). Copies of the report are available in the House Library.

Southend-on Sea (Cultural Heritage)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2005, Official Report, column 1765W, on Southend-on Sea (Cultural Heritage), whether she intends to meet English Heritage to discuss the cultural and architectural heritage of Southend-on-Sea; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Department has no plans to meet English Heritage to discuss the cultural and architectural heritage of Southend-on-Sea.

Sport England

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Sport England spent on consultants in each of the last four years.

Richard Caborn: Details of Sport England's spend on consultants in the last four years is in provided in the table.
	
		
			  Total cost (£) 
		
		
			 2004–05 1,187,697 
			 2003–04 1,553,442 
			 2002–03 788,537 
			 2001–02 415,356

Sport England Plan

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what plans she has to meet representatives of the national governing bodies for sport to discuss Sport England's Whole Sport Plan funding process;
	(2)  what representations she has received from sports national governing bodies, or their representative bodies, about Sport England's Whole Sport Plan funding process; and what concerns they have raised.

Richard Caborn: I have received representations about Sport England's Whole Sport Plan funding process from the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) on behalf of national governing bodies of sport. The CCPR raised concerns about levels of funding and the transition from the Active Sports programme to County Sports Partnerships. I have asked Lord Carter, Chair of Sport England, to meet national governing bodies of sport as a matter of urgency to discuss these issues.

Sports Institutes

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much lottery funding has been provided to the UK's network of sports institutes to date.

Richard Caborn: To date, Sport England has provided £132,085,049 of capital funding and £22,463,000 of revenue funding to the English Institute of Sport. Funding for the Scottish Institute of Sport, Sports Institute Northern Ireland, and the Welsh Institute of Sport, is a matter for the devolved administrations.

Theme Parks

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the revenue generated by theme parks in England in 2004.

Richard Caborn: We are not able to estimate the revenue generated by theme parks in England during 2004 as the data is not yet available.
	However, the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) provides data for businesses grouped by standard industrial classifications. The ABI estimate for total turnover for 'fair and amusement park activities' was £500 million in 2003, up slightly from £494 million in 2002.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Cambridge Schools

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the change since 1997 in (a) capital expenditure and (b) staffing levels has been for each primary and secondary school in Cambridge constituency.

Stephen Twigg: Capital expenditure for primary and secondary schools in Cambridge is not held centrally. The total capital allocation for Cambridgeshire county council for 1996–97 was £9 million, and for 2004–05 it was £33.2 million, an increase of £24.2 million.
	A comparison between 1997 and 2004 staffing levels for each primary and secondary school in Cambridge is contained in the following tables.
	
		Maintained primary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 1997—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff(5) 
		
		
			 905 2105 Milton Road Junior School 15.1 
			 905 2106 Milton Road Infant School 13.0 
			 905 2109 Newnham Croft Primary School 11.9 
			 905 2110 Priory Junior School 22.4 
			 905 2111 Priory Infant School 16.4 
			 905 2113 Romsey Junior School 9.9 
			 905 2114 Sedley Infant School 13.4 
			 905 2115 Shirley Infant School 21.5 
			 905 2118 Arbury Primary School 25.7 
			 905 2119 Colville Primary School 16.4 
			 905 2121 Mayfield Primary School 24.0 
			 905 2123 The Grove Primary School 38.8 
			 905 2312 Cherry Hinton Community Junior School 11.4 
			 905 2317 St. Matthew's Primary School 21.4 
			 905 2335 The Spinney Primary School 11.9 
			 905 2446 Kings Hedges Primary School 27.1 
			 905 3050 Cherry Hinton Church of England VC Infant School 12.0 
			 905 3350 Park Street Church of England Primary School 8.9 
			 905 3352 St. Luke's Church of England Primary School 18.3 
			 905 3358 St. Philip's Church of England Aided Primary School 22.3 
			 905 3366 St. Laurence's RC Primary School 12.9 
			 905 3381 St. Andrew's Church of England Community VA Junior School 23.7 
		
	
	(5)Includes instructors and student teachers, foreign language assistants, unqualified teachers, graduate or registered teachers, teachers entitled to qualify by service and teachers not recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained secondary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 1997—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff(6) 
		
		
			 905 4027 Parkside Community College 45.73 
			 905 4029 Chesterton Community College 71.58 
			 905 4031 Coleridge Community College 48.6 
			 905 4057 The Manor Community College Community 38.98 
			 905 4602 St. Bede's Inter-Church Comprehensive School 44.57 
		
	
	(6) Includes instructors and student teachers, foreign language assistants, unqualified teachers, graduate or registered teachers, teachers entitled to qualify by service and teachers not recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained primary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 2004—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff(7) 
		
		
			 873 2105 Milton Road Junior School 18.5 
			 873 2106 Milton Road infant School 14.6 
			 873 2109 Newnham Croft Primary School 14.2 
			 873 2110 Shirley Infant School 23.9 
			 873 2111 Arbury Primary School 34.6 
			 873 2113 Colville Primary School 18.7 
			 873 2114 Mayfield Primary School 25.1 
			 873 2115 The Grove Primary School 16.5 
			 873 2118 Cherry Hinton Community Junior School 11.2 
			 873 2119 St. Matthew's Primary School 27.5 
			 873 2121 The Spinney Primary School 14.1 
			 873 2123 Kings Hedges Primary School 30.0 
			 873 2312 Abbey Meadows Primary School 23.4 
			 873 2317 Ridgefield Primary School 20.3 
			 873 2335 Cherry Hinton Church of England VC Infant School 15.6 
			 873 2446 Park Street Church of England Primary School 9.9 
			 873 3352 St. Luke's Church of England Primary School 21.2 
			 873 3358 St. Philip's Church of England Aided Primary School 32.0 
			 873 3366 St. Laurence's RC Primary School 14.7 
			 873 3381 St. Andrew's Church of England Community VA Junior School 19.6 
		
	
	(7)Includes teachers on schemes leading to QTS and teachers recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained secondary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 2004—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff(8) 
		
		
			 873 4027 Parkside Community College 63.2 
			 873 4029 Chesterton Community College 90.8 
			 873 4031 Coleridge Community College 54.0 
			 873 4057 The Manor Community College 44.5 
			 873 4602 St. Bede's Inter-Church Comprehensive School 62.0 
		
	
	(8)Includes teachers on schemes leading to QTS and teachers recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Capita SIMS System

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Capita SIMS.net in schools, with particular reference to its effect on (a) schools attendance reporting and (b) suppliers of schools attendance recording systems.

Derek Twigg: My Department has not made a specific assessment of the effectiveness of the Capita SIMS.net with particular reference to its effect on (a) schools attendance reporting and (b) suppliers of schools attendance recording systems and has no plans to do so.
	Capita SIMS.net is one of several commercial management information systems specifically designed for school use that schools are free to choose from, often in collaboration with their relevant local education authority. In common with other systems, Capita SIMS.net includes attendance reporting and recording functionality which can be adapted to meet specific local needs, such as lesson level registration.
	Such automated systems provide real time analysis of pupil level attendance data that make a significant contribution to managing attendance as well as reducing administrative work. It is for schools to decide which system best suits their needs. Wide-ranging advice on the use of information communications technologies is available through the Becta ICT Advice website at http://www.ictadvice.org.uk/.

Contested Adoptions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many contested adoptions have taken place in each of the last 10 years.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of contested adoptions that have taken place in each of the last 10 years are contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Step-parents(9) Other Total 
			  Contested Uncontested Contested Uncontested Contested Uncontested 
		
		
			 1995 491 2,388 733 1,707 1,224 4,095 
			 1996 362 2,384 518 1,700 880 4,084 
			 1997 272 1,780 555 1,542 827 3,322 
			 1998 237 1,556 477 1,377 714 2,933 
			 1999 211 1,332 716 1,617 927 2,949 
			 2000 167 1,193 651 1,992 818 3,185 
			 2001 141 1,055 653 2,329 794 3,384 
			 2002 109 827 725 2,212 834 3,039 
			 2003 129 840 938 2,489 1,067 3,329 
			 2004 104 767 677 2,583 781 3,350 
		
	
	(9)Step-parent adoption occurs where the step-parent applies to formally adopt the child or children of their spouse and assumes parental responsibility to the exclusion of the other birth parent. Contested step-parent adoption cases arise where the non-resident birth parent does not consent to the adoption.

Departmental Policies (Tamworth)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Tamworth constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to her Department's policies since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The Tamworth constituency lies within Staffordshire local education authority. The most recent Key Stage 2 and GCSE and equivalents Achievement for pupils attending schools in Tamworth are given in the following tables:
	
		Key Stage 2 Achievements of 11-year-old pupils attending schools in the Tamworth constituency—percentage of pupils gaining level4 and above
		
			  1997 2004 Percentage point improvement 1997–2004 
		
		
			 Tamworth—English(10) 59 74 15 
			 Tamworth—Maths(10) 57 69 12 
			 National Average—English(11) 63 78 15 
			 National Average—Maths(11) 61 74 13 
		
	
	(10)Pupils attending schools in Tamworth constituency.
	(11)The average for all schools in England (including independent schools).
	
		GCSE and equivalents(12) Achievement of 15-year-old pupils(13) attending schools in the Tamworth constituency
		
			 Percentage of 15-year-olds gaining 1997 2004 Percentage point improvement 1997–2004 
		
		
			 Tamworth—5+A*-C 38.5 43.8 5.3 
			 Tamworth—5+A*-G 88,8 90.6 1.8 
			 National Average—5+A*-G 87.0 88,8 1.8 
		
	
	(12)For 2004 only results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a wide range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only.
	(13)As standard the results reported relate to pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.
	At national level, standards have improved across all key stages. The Primary and Key Stage 3 National Strategies, together with the measures we have taken to help schools in the toughest areas are continuing to deliver better results.
	Further information by constituency, is provided within the Department's 'In Your Area' website available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea. Where information is not available at the constituency level it has been provided at local education authority level.
	This website allows users to access key facts and local information about education and skills based on postcodes. The data available within the site offers comparisons between 1997 and the latest available year and covers five geographies. These are parliamentary constituency, ward, local authority district, local education authority and Government office region. England figures are also provided.
	The information available within the website is grouped in a number of broad categories including Literacy and Numeracy at age 11, Literacy and Numeracy at age 14, GCSE/GNVQ results, Pupils with Special Educational Needs, School Initiatives, School Workforce, School Funding and Resources, Children's Social Services, Early Years, Class Sizes, Post 16, Higher Education and Adult Education
	Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost, However, my Department is investigating ways in which we can disseminate more information about the effects of our policies at a local level. The In Your Area website will be further developed over the coming months to include additional information about Adult Education, School Funding, School Initiatives, School Performance, School Workforce and Post 16.

Gifted Pupils

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to local education authorities regarding provision in schools for gifted and talented pupils.

Stephen Twigg: We have made clear our expectation that schools and local authorities will make appropriate provision for gifted and talented pupils. There is a range of guidance available to local authorities from the Department, the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth and other partners in the national programme for gifted and talented education. The Department has produced a framework that authorities and schools are invited to follow when specifying whattheir programmes will achieve (see http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/giftedandtalented/guidanceandtraining/outcomemeasures/). A self-evaluation instrument, currently being trialled, will help schools to adjust their practice to best meet gifted and talented pupils' needs.

Higher Education

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on her Department's assessment of the average cost of providing one higher education place (a) in March 2005 and (b) in each year from 2005–06 to 2010–11.

Kim Howells: This Government have pledged to maintain in real terms funding to support the costs of educating higher education students over the next three years, so that income that may be raised from variable tuition fees will be additional to normal Government funding. Real terms funding per student will not fall below the planned 2005–06 level of £3,490 1 at 2003–04 prices. Funding for 2008–09 and beyond will be considered as part of the 2006 Spending Review.
	1 Real terms unit of funding for teaching, as set out in 2004 Grant Letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England. This figure relates to full-time equivalent Home and EU-domiciled students studying at English institutions.

Internet (Older People)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support her Department provides to encourage older people to use the internet.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 18 March 2005
	UK online centres were established to bridge the gap between those in society who have access to ICT and the internet and those who do not. Between 1999 and 2003 a total of £396 million was invested to set up the centres. There are now 6,000 UK online centres in England, and people over 60 are one of the five main groups in the target audience for UK online centres.
	Ufi, the organisation which now has responsibility for the administration and development of UK online, also operates the network of 2,000 learndirect centres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	Information provided by Ufi on usage of UK online centres shows that:
	UK online centres provide help and support for over 500,000 people a year
	14 per cent. of UK online users are over 65
	85 UK online centres are co-located or linked to Age Concern
	In relation to learndirect centres:
	Over 1.5 million learners have enrolled on over 3.6 million learndirect courses since April 2000
	27 per cent. of learndirect learners who enrolled on courses between August 2004 and January 2005 are over 50, and 12 per cent. are over 60
	In addition, an e-government pathfinder project, led by DfES in conjunction with Ufi aimed to test the potential of UK online centres to support e-government service delivery. One pathfinder focused on services for older people, working with Age Concern, to provide access to a range of Government services. The Department and Ufi are currently considering the findings of the evaluation of these pathfinders.

Schools PFI Contract (Wirral)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the ownership composition is of the special purpose vehicle responsible for delivering the private finance initiative contract relating to Wirral schools.

Stephen Twigg: The ownership composition of the special purpose vehicle for the Wirral schools PFI project is Barclays Equity, 50 per cent., and the Secondary Market Infrastructure Fund (SMIF), 50 per cent. This information is based on data supplied by Wirral metropolitan borough council.

Teachers (London)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures her Department has introduced to ensure the recruitment and retention of teaching staff in the outer London boroughs.

Stephen Twigg: We are committed to improving recruitment and retention of teachers. Nationally, there are around 29,000 more qualified teachers working in schools than there were in 1997. We have put in place nationally a number of incentives to attract and retain teachers, including PGCE bursaries of up to £6,000 and Golden Hellos" of up to £4,000 in certain subjects. The Teacher Training Agency supports the cost of Recruitment Managers in local education authorities. Every outer London borough has received funding for the last four years and will continue to be supported for the next two years.
	Vacancy rates are falling faster in London than in the rest of the country but remain twice the national rate. We therefore continue to take additional steps to recruit and retain teachers in London, including outer London. As part of the London Challenge, which the Prime Minister launched in May 2003, we introduced Chartered London Teacher status. This recognises and rewards the distinctive skills and expertise demonstrated by teachers in outer and inner London and provides incentives for good teachers to stay teaching in London. We are also aware that the cost of housing is a factor in teachers' decisions about where to live and work. With the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, we have introduced interest-free equity loans to help teachers in London schools buy homes. The Key Teacher Homebuy scheme, which is only available to school teachers in London, offers loans of up to £100,000 for teachers willing to commit to a long-term career working in London schools.
	We have established a separate pay scale for teachers in outer London. Starting salaries for teachers in outer London will increase from £20,862 in April 2004 to £21,384 in April 2005 and £22,002 in September 2005. Schools retain the discretion to make such payments or other financial assistance, support or benefits to a teacher as they consider necessary as an incentive for the recruitment of new teachers or the retention of existing teachers.

Universities (Projected Income)

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the projected income from (a) tuition and (b) top-up fees to British universities is for each year from 2005–06 to 2010–11.

Kim Howells: The income from tuition fees 1 for English Higher Education Institutions in 2005–06 is forecast to be £910 million.
	From 2006/07, institutions will be free to set fees up to £3,000 for new students. Figures for income from fees from 2006/07 onwards will depend on the pattern of fee charging by institutions and the way that students respond to that pattern. If 91 per cent. of students were charged £3,000 and the remaining 9 per cent. £2000, we estimate that the fee income on a steady state basis on 2006/07 student numbers would be around £2.3 billion.
	1 Full-time home and EU undergraduate and PGCE students.

University Admissions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications there were from school pupils for full-time courses at universities in England to commence study in each year from 2001 to 2004 inclusive; and how many applications have been made for enrolment in 2005, excluding applications for deferred entry in 2006.

Kim Howells: holding answer 17 March 2005
	Information for the years 2001 to 2004, showing the total number of students who applied throughout the application cycle, is shown in the following table. Thelatest available figures for 2005 entry show that, as at 15 January, 284,359 students from England had applied. We expect to receive updated information in April. The number of applicants who intend to defer entry is not held centrally.
	
		Applicants from England to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK
		
			 Year of entry Total applicants(14) 
		
		
			 2001 330,856 
			 2002 331,602 
			 2003 337,593 
			 2004 339,967 
		
	
	(14)Covers all students who applied at any point in the application cycle, including those who applied during the clearing process in August of each year.
	Source:
	Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Wirral Schools Services Ltd.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State forEducation and Skills how much was paid to Jarvis plc for the sale of its equity in Wirral Schools Services Ltd.

Stephen Twigg: I am not able to disclose this information, since it is not for the Department to comment on financial negotiations between two commercial companies.

PRIME MINISTER

Attorney-General

David Drew: To ask the Prime Minister how many times the Attorney-General has attended Cabinet since 2002; and on what issues he has produced written evidence for the Prime Minister.

Tony Blair: Since 2002, the Attorney-General has attended Cabinet 24 times. There is a long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, that the fact that the Law Officers have advised on a particular issue is not publicly disclosed. There is a strong public interest in allowing Government to have a clear space, immune from exposure to public view, in which it can debate matters internally with candour and free from the pressures of public political debate, including in deciding whether it should seek advice from its principal legal adviser, the Attorney-General.

Attorney-General

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Prime Minister when the Attorney-General first gave him his advice on the case for war; and in what form.

Tony Blair: As indicated in paragraph 374 of the Butler Report, the Attorney-General gave initial advice prior to the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1441. The date of this advice is withheld as it relates to the formation of Government policy.

Attorney-General

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister how many pages constituted the legal opinion provided to Cabinet setting out the Attorney-General's advice on the legality of military action against Iraq in March 2003.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Solicitor-General (Harriet Harman) gave him on 20 December 2004, Official Report, column 1335W, and to the letter of 10 March 2005 from the Attorney-General to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short), copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Attorney-General

Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Attorney-General attended the whole of the meeting of the Cabinet on 17 March 2003.

Tony Blair: The Attorney-General did attend the whole meeting of the Cabinet on 17 March 2003.

Attorney-General

Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the oral answer given on 9 March 2005, Official Report, column 1514 to the hon. Member for Linlothgow (Mr.Dalyell), in what form the oral report given by the Attorney-General was recorded in the notes of the Cabinet meeting; and when these notes were made available to the full Cabinet.

Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1) whether the advice he received from the Attorney-General regarding the war in Iraq discussed in Cabinet on 17 March 2003 was placed before any other ministerial committee;
	(2)  whether the Cabinet meeting on 17 March 2003 discussed any business other than the advice of the Attorney-General regarding war with Iraq.

Tony Blair: The proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings are not generally disclosed, in order to ensure the protection of information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Conduct of Committee Guidelines

Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the Cabinet Office guidelines on the conduct of Cabinet and Ministerial Committee business.

Tony Blair: The Cabinet Office provides two sources of guidance on the conduct of Cabinet business. The Ministerial Code sets out the arrangements for collective consideration of business by Cabinet and Cabinet Committees. The Code is amplified by Cabinet Committee Business: a Guide for Departments". Copies of each are available in the Libraries of the House.

Japan

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister when he received a letter from Sakue Shimohira on behalf of the Association for the Bereaved Families of the Atomic Bomb Dead in Nagasaki; and what response he has made.

Tony Blair: As far as I am aware, I have not received the letter.

Mr. Paul Wolfowitz

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister whether he was consulted by President Bush about the qualifications in international development and world poverty matters of Mr. Paul Wolfowitz before he received the American nomination to the post of President of the World Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: It is not the practice of the Government to make public details of all discussions with foreign governments.

DEFENCE

Defence Aviation Repair Agency

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is considering (a) a sale or (b) a privatisation of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is conducting a review of the potential future status options for DARA and its Business Units. This work is being carried out without prejudice or preconception. The analysis currently being done by Morgan Stanley to test market interest does not, in any sense, imply that we see sale to the private sector as a preferred option, and any industry interest in any of DARA's business units will be judged impartially against a full range of options, including retaining DARA in-house. The criteria for any final decision will be quality of support to the front line and overall value for money. I aim to reach conclusions about the way forward for DARA, if at all possible, by the middle of 2005.

Deployments

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which sub-units were deployed from the (a) 5th Regiment Royal Artillery to (i) Cyprus, (ii) Iraq and (iii) Northern Ireland, (b) 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery to (A) Cyprus and (B) Iraq, (c) 2nd Royal Tank Regiment to (1) Iraq and (2) Kosovo, (d) Light Dragoons to (x) Bosnia and (y) Cyprus, (e) Queen's Royal Lancers to (aa) Kosovo and (bb) Iraq and (f) Household Cavalry to Bosnia; and what the dates of each deployment were.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is shown in the following table. The information relates to the period January 2000 to March 2005, as data prior to this period is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Regiment (a) Sub units (b) Theatre (c) Dates (d) 
		
		
			 5th Regiment Royal Artillery K Battery (Bty) Cyprus December 2001-June 2002 
			 
			  K Bty Iraq-Telic 1 February-June 2003 
			  4/73 Bty Iraq-Telic 2 June-October 2003 
			  4/73 Bty Iraq-Telic 3 October 2003-April 2004 
			  K Bty Iraq-Telic 4 April 2003-October 2004 
			  P Bty Iraq-Telic 5 October 2004-April 2005 
			 
			  P Bty Northern Ireland October 2002-May 2003 
			  P Bty Northern Ireland August-December 2003 
			 
			 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery 46 Bty, 18 Bty Cyprus December 2001-June 2002 
			 
			  42 Bty Cyprus June-December 2003 
			 
			  46 Bty, 18 Bty, 22 Bty Iraq-Telic 1 February-June 2003 
			  57 Bty Iraq-Telic 3 September 2003-April 2004 
			  22 Bty Iraq-Telic 4 April-October 2004 
			  18 Bty Iraq-Telic 5 October 2004-April 2005 
			 
			 2nd Royal Tank Regiment RHQ, Cyclops, Falcon, Egypt Iraq-Telic 1 February–June 2003 
			  Badger Iraq-Telic 2 July-November 2003 
			  RHQ, Badger, Egypt Kosovo February-June 2001 
			  Cyclops Kosovo June-December 2001 
			 
			 The Light Dragoons B Squadron Bosnia April-October 2000 
			  C Squadron Bosnia October 2002-April 2003 
			  Nil Cyprus  
			 
			 The Queen's Royal Lancers RHQ, D Squadron Kosovo April-October 2002 
			  B, C Squadrons Iraq-Telic 1 February–June 2003 
			  A, D Squadrons Iraq-Telic 2 July-November 2003 
			 
			 Household Cavalry Regiment A Squadron Bosnia September 2001-March 2002 
			  C Squadron Bosnia March-September 2002 
			  C Squadron (-) Bosnia October 2003-April 2004

Future Rapid Effects System

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the defence procurement budget is allocated to the Future Rapid Effects System for each year from 2007 to 2010.

Adam Ingram: The Future Rapid Effect System is in its initial assessment phase. Firm decisions on costs and timescales for the programme will not be made until the main procurement decision.

Maritime Coherence Baseline

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purpose is of the Maritime Coherence Baseline concept; when it will be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The Maritime Coherence Study Baseline is the core programme emerging from the Maritime Coherence Study. It will provide the basis on which further work and refinement is undertaken. The Maritime Coherence Study is intended to produce a balanced, coherent and more affordable programme to address our capability priorities and provide an industrial programme with stable and balanced loading, and will be implemented over the next two decades.

Nuclear Warheads

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the transportation by air of nuclear materials related to the United Kingdom nuclear weapons programme.

Geoff Hoon: Within the United Kingdom, our policy is to use surface transportation for all movements of nuclear material related to the UK nuclear weapons programme. Any necessary movement by air of nuclear material outside of the UK is undertaken in compliance with the UK's International Treaty obligations and in accordance with International Air Transport Association regulations, MOD Health and Safety requirements and all statutory legislative requirements. All Ministry of Defence movements of nuclear materials are conducted only by suitably qualified and experienced personnel under procedures designed to reduce foreseeable risk in accordance with the As Low As Reasonably Practicable principle.

Nuclear Warheads

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which nations he has assessed as having the capacity to launch a nuclear strike against United Kingdom military bases; and which United Kingdom bases are in range of each nation's weapons.

Geoff Hoon: We assess that there is currently no significant threat of a nuclear strike against UK military bases. We continue to monitor the nuclear capability of a number of countries.

Oil Tankers

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the Royal Navy's future requirement for oil supply within the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) programme; how many ships are needed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has for the (a) purchase and (b) lease of commercial oil tankers before the introduction of Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tankers;
	(3)  what measures are in place to meet the oil supply requirement of the Royal Navy in the event of a delay in the introduction of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability programme.

Adam Ingram: The MARS programme will provide the future maritime tanker capability for the Royal Navy. The future requirement, including how the capability will be delivered, will be determined during the programme's assessment phase. Two of the LEAF class tankers currently in service are leased. We have no current plans to purchase or lease additional tankers for the RFA ahead of the capability to be introduced through the MARS programme. We will consider extending the current fleet of maritime tankers in service as necessary prior to the introduction of the MARS capability.

Panther Vehicle

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budget is for each year of the Panther vehicle programme.

Adam Ingram: The overall acquisition cost of the Panther programme, which is in its Demonstration and Manufacture phase, is £193 million spread over some five years.

RAF Leeming

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of job losses at RAF Leeming on (a) the work of the base and (b) the local community; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The written ministerial statement of 10 March outlined the proposed reductions in the number of Service and civilian posts as a result of the end-to-end review of logistics process for military aircraft support. These reductions form part of the Service and civilian manpower reductions that were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 21 July 2004.
	For RAF Leeming, this will mean a reduction in the number of Service posts by 215 and, subject to Trades Union consultation, a reduction in the number of civilian posts by 20.
	I recognise that this may be disappointing news for the local community, but the proposed changes in working practices and force structure will improve efficiency within the RAF.

RAF Leeming

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the long-term future of RAF Leeming.

Adam Ingram: RAF Leeming is one of many airfields being considered under the Defence Airfield Review, which is examining our future basing requirements.
	I announced on 10 March 2005 that RAF Leeming is one of five RAF Stations currently being considered as a potential base for the new Joint Combat Aircraft when it enters service in the next decade.

Regiments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) land and (b) buildings are held by (i) the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, (ii) the King's Regiment and (iii) the King's Own Borderers.

Adam Ingram: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Royal Navy Destroyers/Frigates

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the destroyers and frigates serving in the Royal Navy; and what the proposed retirement date for each is.

Adam Ingram: HMS Norfolk, a Type 23 frigate, will be withdrawn from service by the end of the month. The latest planned decommissioning dates for the other ships are as follows:
	
		
			 Ship Planned decommissioning date 
		
		
			 Type 42 Batch 1 destroyer:  
			 HMS Cardiff 2005 
			   
			 Type 42 Batch 2 destroyers:  
			 HMS Exeter 2009 
			 HMS Southampton 2010 
			 HMS Nottingham 2012 
			 HMS Liverpool 2009 
			 Type 42 Batch 3 destroyers:  
			 HMS Manchester 2011 
			 HMS Gloucester 2011 
			 HMS Edinburgh 2013 
			 HMS York 2012 
			   
			 Type 22 frigates:  
			 HMS Cornwall 2015 
			 HMS Cumberland 2017 
			 HMS Campbeltown 2017 
			 HMS Chatham 2018 
			   
			 Type 23 frigates:  
			 HMS Marlborough 2005 
			 HMS Argyll 2019 
			 HMS Lancaster 2019 
			 HMS Iron Duke 2020 
			 HMS Monmouth 2021 
			 HMS Montrose 2021 
			 HMS Westminster 2021 
			 HMS Northumberland 2022 
			 HMS Richmond 2022 
			 HMS Somerset 2023 
			 HMS Grafton 2006 
			 HMS Sutherland 2025 
			 HMS Kent 2028 
			 HMS Portland 2028 
			 HMS St. Albans 2029

Torture-obtained Information

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Defencepursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2005, Official Report, column 1257W, on torture-obtained information, on how many occasions in the last year his Department has used information obtained by the use of torture in another country.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 90W.

Trident

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1148W, which Scottish local authorities were involved in the risk assessment; and if he will place a copy of the risk assessment in the Library.

Geoff Hoon: No Scottish local authorities were involved in the generation of the latest risk assessment on the transport of nuclear material for the Trident nuclear system. The document contains confidential information relating to national security and I am therefore unable to place a copy in the Library as requested.

Trident

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 15 March 2005, Official Report, column 189W, on Trident, if he will list the occasions when such incidents occurred while nuclear material was on the jetty.

Geoff Hoon: On only one occasion, in September 2004, was nuclear material present on the Explosives Handling Jetty when there was an alarm. However, after investigation, this was found to be a false alarm.

Uniforms

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether all (a) reservists and (b) full-time soldiers are clothed to scale when on deployment overseas.

Adam Ingram: Once a deployment overseas has been agreed, a Mounting Instruction is issued on the authority of the Department's Permanent Joint Headquarters to the Front Line Commands, who in turn amplify, as necessary, the requirement for those personnel being deployed and issue Instructions to units for action. Equipment, including clothing, is then demanded and issued to the appropriate scale for Reservists and regular full-time soldiers to supplement their personal issue holdings.
	On mobilisation, Army Reservists pass through the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre located in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, for pre-deployment training and administration. Part of this process is to ensure that they have the full scale of personal equipment prior to deploying. Operational theatres have adequate reserve stocks of personal equipment items to make up deficiencies due to loss, damage or wear and tear.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Economic Partnership Agreements

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the need for ACP countries to retain national and regional autonomy in economic partnership agreements with the EU.

Douglas Alexander: Many of the ACP countries have developed poverty reduction strategies. EPAs should support these by enabling regional groupings to sequence trade reform appropriately and to participate on equal terms in the international economy. We are working closely with other member states, the European Commission and the ACP countries themselves to ensure that the developmental benefits of EPAs are realised.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the EC-Russia Joint Committee on scientific and technological co-operation met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: There were no meetings of the EU-Russia PCA sub-committee on education, culture, and science and technology during the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidencies. The last took place in Brussels on March 3 2003 during the Greek presidency. Meetings are convened by the European Commission, and the member states are not invited; therefore no UK officials attend.

Gas

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the security of gas supplies in (a) winter 2005–06 and (b) winter 2006–07; when she expects to lay before Parliament the first report on the medium and long-term energy supplies as required by the Energy Act 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 17 March 2005
	Through the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group (JESS), the DTI and Ofgem, with help from national grid, continually monitor developments in the energy market, and look for ways of helping the market work more effectively to deliver secure energy supplies. This includes consideration of the position on gas supplies.
	The most recent report was published in November of last year and is available from the Libraries of the House. It shows that the gas supply/demand balance would be tight in 2005–06 if that proves to be a particularly severe winter, and that gas supplies are expected to increase after that.
	We expect the report under the Energy Act 2004 to be laid before Parliament in the summer.

In-house Magazines

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on the production of in-house magazines in the Department in each year since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: The DTI produces an in-house magazine for all staff, the function of which is to inform them about the organisation's business objectives, and enable them to act as ambassadors for the Department. Research shows that the magazine is widely read and considered useful.
	Costs for the current year are £5,000. It is not possible to give figures for earlier years because the costs for the previous DTI newspaper were not itemised individually and to produce them would incur disproportionate costs.

International Accounting Standards

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with (a) his counterparts and (b) the European Commission concerning a move towards agreement on international accounting standards.

Patricia Hewitt: Regulation (EC) No. 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and the Council of 19 July 2002 on the application of International Accounting Standards was adopted by member state on 7 June 2002. Prior to its adoption, my Department had extensive discussions with other Government Departments, other member states and the European Commission.
	Along with representatives of other member states, my Department sits on the Accounting Regulatory Committee, which was created by the Regulation to consider the adoption of individual International Accounting Standards into European law.

Miners Compensation

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many former miners, their widows and families in Newcastle-under-Lyme have (a) made claims for and (b) been paid compensation in respect of (i) chronic bronchitis and emphysema, (ii) vibration white finger and (iii) pneumoconiosis; and how much has been paid out in total so far.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 2 March 2005
	The figures for Newcastle-under-Lyme are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of claims Number settled by payment Total paid (£) 
		
		
			 COPD 2762 681 5,514,417 
			 VWF 792 359 3,679,542 
			 Pneumoconiosis 37 27 76,770

Miners' Pensions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the merits of enabling miners to take an early lump sum in lieu of their miners' pension.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 21 February 2005
	Following DTI agreement to a trustee proposal, from spring 2003 certain members of the mineworkers pension scheme can take a final lump sum in lieu of their miners' pension from age 50. The total value of a members' benefits must be less than £5 a week. The qualifying conditions are a matter for the Inland Revenue.

Operating and Financial Review

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the proposed Operating and Financial Review.

Patricia Hewitt: The draft Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005 were considered by the Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation on 3 February 2005. The Regulations were also considered by the House of Lords on 16 March 2005.
	The Regulations will require the directors of quoted companies to prepare an Operating and Financial Review in respect of companies' financial years which begin on or after 1 April 2005.

Parking Spaces and Penalties

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on (a) provision of parking spaces for civil servants and (b) parking tickets and penalties incurred by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department does not make any separate provision for car parking and the only parking spaces on the DTI HQ estate are those integral with the buildings.
	Information on parking charges or fees paid by my Department for its civil servants on official business can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The Department does not pay parking penalties.

Regional Venture Capital Funds

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average size of investment made by each regional venture capital fund was up to 31 December 2004.

Nigel Griffiths: A breakdown by English region of the average size of investment (both initial and follow-on) as at 31 December 2004 is as follows.
	
		
			 RVCF Average investment overall (£) 
		
		
			 South East 214,848.30 
			 South West 233,333.33 
			 London 229,004.63 
			 East of England 231,622.20 
			 East Midlands 164,740.86 
			 West Midlands 201,477.27 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 232,500.00 
			 North East 147,410.91 
			 North West 171,350.02

Russian Economic Forum

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department has liaised with the Confederation of British Industry on support for and involvement in the Russian Economic Forum to be held in London from 10 to 12 April.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 16 March 2005
	Officials have been in regular contact with the CBI about the Russian Economic Forum.

Russian Economic Forum

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department will play a role in supporting the discussion on Russia's evolution into a modern, market-based democracy at the Russian Economic Forum to be held in London from 10 to 12 April.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 16 March 2005
	Officials will attend all relevant sessions of the Russian Economic Forum.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Fire Control Rooms

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the contracts to be entered into by private sector parties in respect of the provision and maintenance of regional fire control rooms will be agreed with the (a) regional management boards or their operating vehicles and (b) with his Department.

Nick Raynsford: The agreements to lease the regional control centres (RCCs) will be entered into by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. We are currently considering the responses to consultation on the appropriate operating vehicles to manage the RCCs, either a local authority company or a lead authority. That entity will then take over the lease for its RCC when the building is ready for handover.
	Separate contracts will need to be let for the maintenance of the buildings after construction is complete. This will be a matter for the regional entity responsible for each RCC.

Fire Control Rooms

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the detailed business case for regional control rooms after the contracts to construct and maintain them have been let.

Nick Raynsford: Once both procurement processes (iefor the accommodation and infrastructure services) are complete a copy of the full business case based on actual costs, less any information which needs to be retained for purposes of commercial confidentiality, will be made available in the Libraries of the House.

House Fires

John Randall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate his Department has made of the number of house fires in which plug-in air fresheners were a contributory cause in the last five years.

Nick Raynsford: The national fire statistics do not distinguish air fresheners as a potential source of fire and so the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not able to determine the number of house fires in which plug-in air fresheners have been a contributory cause.
	Recent inquiries with several fire and rescue services has revealed no evidence that air fresheners may be a contributory cause in house fires.

Housing (Liverpool)

Louise Ellman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what independent structural survey has been undertaken in the Welsh Streets in Liverpool 8 to assess the state of the properties; and where this information is available to the public.

Keith Hill: It is understood that Liverpool city council propose to make a compulsory purchase order, to acquire and demolish a number of houses in the Welsh Streets area, as part of their Housing Market Renewal programme. It is for the city council to determine what independent advice they seek, in order to explain why they believe the area is in need of redevelopment.

Housing Market Renewal Areas

Louise Ellman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria are used to measure the success of a Housing Market Renewal area.

Keith Hill: Homes for All", the Government's five year housing plan sets out our aim to close by a third the gap between the level of vacancies and house values in pathfinder areas compared to the regions by 2010. Our long-term aim is to eradicate the problems caused by low demand housing by 2020.
	Specific targets for the period up to March 2006 are included in each pathfinder's funding agreement with the Government.

Local Authority Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimates his Department has made of projected future spending by local authorities in each year for which projections have been made; and what proportion of each amount is projected to be met through central Government subsidy in each of those years.

Nick Raynsford: The Government have made no estimates of future spending by local authorities, which is primarily for local authorities to determine. SR04 provided the following increases in Net Aggregate External Funding (Net AEF) which is comprised of Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates:
	
		
			  Net AEF(15) (£ million) 
		
		
			 2004–05 42,421 
			 2005–06 44,706 
			 2006–07 47,184 
			 2007–08 49,608 
		
	
	(15)This is the increases announced in SR04. The actual Net AEF total for 2005–06 taking account of changes in function and financing agreed after SR04 is 44,726 million.
	Note:
	The figure for 2004–05 includes the resources which were paid out as PFI Special Grant.

Ministerial Visits

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister howmany visits to Southend have been made by his officials in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Neighbourhood Renewal Funds (Cornwall)

Candy Atherton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will break down by district council the allocation of neighbourhood renewal funds in West Cornwall.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is published on the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit website at: www.neighbourhood.gov.uk/page.asp?id=614
	An announcement will be made in due course on theallocation of new Neighbourhood Renewal Fund resources for the period 2006–08, once the Office of theDeputy Prime Minister has considered fully the responses to our consultation.

Planning (Children's Homes)

Howard Stoate: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what planning consents private companies that are seeking to open residential children's homes in private residential properties are required to obtain from their local planning authorities before they are able to commence business.

Keith Hill: The Town and Country (Use Classes) Order 1987 (the UCO) sets out classes of uses, changes within which do not require planning permission due to the similarity in their impact on local amenity, for example: traffic generation, noise, and visual appearance.
	The UCO classifies dwelling houses as a C3 use class. This includes dwelling houses used by a single person, any number of persons living as a family, or by no more than six people living together as a single household. Any change of use from this status would normally require planning permission.

Sheltered Housing Schemes

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice he provides to (a) local authorities and (b) private or independently-run sheltered schemes on how to use arbitration and consultation procedures in disputes between scheme managers and tenants and owners.

Yvette Cooper: So far as housing-related support issues are concerned, the Supporting People Quality Assessment Framework core objective includes a requirement that service users, carers and other stakeholders are made aware of complaints procedures and how to use them. However, this only applies to housing support services and services under Supporting People contract to the local administering authority, and does not apply to private sheltered housing schemes
	The Housing Corporation requires that Registered Social Landlord (RSL) tenants and applicants have access to effective complaints procedures, and has produced good practice guidance on complaints handling.
	Tenants of RSLs also have statutory access to the Independent Housing Ombudsman Scheme (IHOS). In considering cases, the Ombudsman may recommend alternative dispute resolution, either by the use of mediation, arbitration or otherwise, to complainants and member landlords at any time during or at the end of an investigation.

Social Housing

David Willetts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average number of bedrooms in each social housing unit built was in each year since 1979.

Keith Hill: Estimates of the average number of bedrooms are not available. The following table shows, for particular years, estimates of the percentages of social dwellings for rent built by flats and houses and with one, two, three and four or more bedrooms.
	The figures for 1995–96, 2000–01 and 2003–04 include only Registered social landlord dwellings. Those for 1979, 1985 and 1990 also include local authority and new town dwellings as they then accounted for a larger proportion of social dwellings built.
	Figures for each year from 1991–92 are available from the housing statistics section on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at:
	http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_housing/documents/page/odpm_house_604058.xls
	[Housing—Housing Statistics—Live Tables—Housebuilding— Table no 251]
	
		Percentage
		
			  1979l 1985l 1990(16) 1995–96 2000–01 2003–04 
		
		
			 Houses   
			 1 bedroom 5 8 6 3 3 1 
			 2 bedrooms 13 18 21 34 29 23 
			 3 bedrooms 26 16 17 30 27 24 
			 4+ bedrooms 4 2 3 4 4 6 
			 All 48 44 47 71 63 54 
			 Flats   
			 1 bedroom 33 41 36 17 17 13 
			 2 bedrooms 16 13 15 11 17 31 
			 3 bedrooms 2 1 2 1 3 1 
			 4+ bedrooms — — — — — 1 
			 All 51 55 53 29 37 46 
			
			 Houses and flats
			 1 bedroom 38 48 41 20 19 14 
			 2 bedrooms 29 32 36 45 46 54 
			 3 bedrooms 29 18 19 31 30 25 
			 4+ bedrooms 4 2 3 4 5 7 
			 All 100 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	(16)Figures include both new housing association and new local authority/new town dwellings built.

Trees (London)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to increase the number of trees in London; and whether, he has met (a) the Mayor, (b) the London boroughs and (c) his Department's ministers to discuss this.

Keith Hill: The London Tree and Woodland Framework Consultation Document was launched in July 2004, produced by the London Woodland Advisory Group which includes Government Office for London, Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Forestry Commission (FC). Consultation involved a wide range of London stakeholders, and as key members of the Advisory Group the Mayor and officials from the GLA were closely involved in drawing up proposals in the framework, while boroughs through the London Tree Officers Association were key consultees.
	The Government plan to launch the Tree and Woodland Framework for London shortly. The document will provide a firm commitment by a wide partnership of London bodies including the GLA and the FC to maintain and enhance London's trees and woodlands as a vital part of the environment and will establish priority locations for new tree planting, taking into account such factors as levels of social deprivation, transport corridors and gateways, derelict land, biodiversity objectives, areas of regeneration and community forests.
	The 'million trees campaign' which is managed by Trees for London, supported by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the FC, was initiated in September 2003. This project involves a London-wide partnership to plant one million new trees in London by 2010. To date this has already achieved a total of 330,000 trees. The work of the FC and Thames Chase Community Forest has also resulted in substantial areas of new planting with full public access in the North East of London. This project has been supported by the Government's Capital Modernisation Fund and work to extend the forest will continue. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are also actively involved in the Greening the Gateway partnership which is the shared environmental vision for the Thames Gateway London. I am in regular contact with the Mayor and London boroughs on environmental issues.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applicants he estimates are living in York.

Des Browne: Statistics on the location of asylum seekers in the UK are linked to the available information on the support that the asylum seeker receives.
	At the end of December 2004 there were 151 1 asylum seekers in the local authority area of York recorded as in receipt of National Asylum Support Service (NASS) support.
	Corresponding figures for those not in receipt of NASS support are not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
	Numbers of asylum seekers placed in NASS accommodation and numbers who are in receipt of subsistence only support from NASS, are published on a quarterly and annual basis. The next publication covering the first quarter of 2005 (January to March) will be available on 17 May 2005 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	1 This figure is rounded to the nearest 5 and includes those in receipt of subsistence only support and those in NASS accommodation.

Asylum Seekers

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers and refugees have been issued with short-term certificates of identity to enable them to visit areas affected by the tsunami.

Des Browne: Two short-term certificates of identity have been issued for the purpose of travel to areas affected by the tsunami. One was issued to a refugee, and the other to a person who had been granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom.

Civil Servants

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether ex-offenders will be eligible for employment by the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: Ex-offenders are eligible for employment in the National Offender Management Service, although they may be required to declare any convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the National Offender Management Service will be taking to ensure that the prisons and probations work force will be diverse, competent and professional, as described in the NOMS Vision Statement.

Paul Goggins: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Chief Executive, Martin Narey, is committed to place diversity at the heart of NOMS. A permanent diversity impact assessment process will be in place and a NOMS race and diversity strategic framework is being developed that will be aimed at not only ensuring compliance with legislative requirements, but at also promoting best practice in diversity across NOMS.
	Planning has begun on the creation of a learning and development strategy for NOMS. Working closely with Skills for Justice (the Sector Skills Council for the justice sector) and regional probation training consortia, this strategy will identify new learning programmes and qualifications needed to support the development of NOMS.
	As the offender management model is now being developed, a particular priority is to define the occupational standards and competencies needed to undertake this critical new role, and hence to develop supporting learning programmes.
	The Prison Service and National Probation Service are also developing proposals for an integrated approach to leadership and management development for managers across NOMS. An early output has been the creation of an induction and development programme for the 10 Regional Offender Managers.

National Offender Management Service

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the detailed business case for the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: We have already published Patrick Carter's independent report Managing Offenders—Reducing Crime", which sets out the case for a National Offender Management Service, and the Government's response Reducing crime—Changing Lives" which accepts that case.
	A separate business case for the National Offender Management Service is currently being prepared.

National Offender Management Service

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1421W, to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, on the National Offender Management Service, which regional offender managers will be responsible for each probation area in 2005–06; and whether the Prison Service budget for 2006–07 will need to be agreed unanimously by regional offender managers.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 10 March 2005
	The Regional Offender Managers were appointed to cover geographically the nine government areas and Wales. Their remit covers all the probation areas within their region. The prison service budget for 2006–07 will be agreed by the Director General of the Prison Service and the Regional Offender Managers.

Polish Workers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the numbers of Poles working in the UK.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	The latest Labour Force Survey for autumn 2004 estimated there were approximately 69,000 Polish nationals in employment in the United Kingdom.

Prison Officers

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have been medically retired in each year since 1997 due to work-related stress.

Paul Goggins: No information is available on the number of officers granted medical retirement specifically due to work-related stress. The following table contains information on the total number of prison officers, senior officers and principal officers granted medical retirement since 1998 for any reason, within public sector establishments. Information on medical retirements is not available for 1997. The Office for Contracted Prisons does not collect information on medical retirements as privately managed prisons are not contracted to supply this information.
	
		
			  All officers medically retired 
		
		
			 1998 217 
			 1999 195 
			 2000 162 
			 2001 147 
			 2002 142 
			 2003 171 
			 January-October 2004 89 
		
	
	There has, generally, been a fall in medical retirements since revised eligibility criteria were introduced in 1998 through changes in the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Prisoners (Mental Health)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the percentage of prisoners in England and Wales who suffer from mental health problems.

Paul Goggins: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) undertook a survey of mental ill health in the prison population of England and Wales in 1997. A copy of the survey is available on the ONS website at www.statistics.gov.uk.
	Comparable information for Scotland may be obtained from the Scottish Executive. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are devolved, responsibility for such information rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland office.

Prisons

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) proportion and (b) total number of prisoners' initial test results under the mandatory drug testing programme have subsequently proved inaccurate in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: This information is not held on the central Mandatory Drug Testing database.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of prisoner rehabilitation programmes.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS) has recently published a review of the impact of corrections on re-offending (Home Office Research Study 291). The report, including references, is available on the RDS website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds.

Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether performance by the National Probation Service against its performance measure on enforcement improved (a) during 2003–04 and (b) between April and September 2004.

Paul Goggins: The performance of the National Probation Service (NPS) in meeting its target for enforcement in 2003–04 and April to September 2004 is set out in the following tables.
	
		Table 1: Enforcement by month April 2003–March 2004—England and Wales -- Percentage
		
			 Month Breach action taken within 10 days 
		
		
			 April 2003 72 
			 May 2003 71 
			 June 2003 73 
			 July 2003 74 
			 August 2003 78 
			 September 2003 75 
			 October 2003 79 
			 November 2003 80 
			 December 2003 81 
			 January 2004 78 
			 February 2004 82 
			 March 2004 84 
			 Total 77 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Enforcement by month April to September 2004—England and Wales -- Percentage
		
			 Month Breach action taken within 10 days 
		
		
			 April 84 
			 May 85 
			 June 82 
			 July 86 
			 August 84 
			 September 87 
			 Total 85 
		
	
	The results for the half-year to September 2004 show an improvement of eight percentage points on those for 2003–04. This is very encouraging and continues the upward trend of recent years: in 2001–02 enforcement stood at 53 per cent. rising to 64 per cent. in 2002–03 and again to 77 per cent. last year. The NPS is now closer than ever to achieving its enforcement target of 90 per cent. and I am optimistic that the 85 per cent. achieved in the first six months can be increased by the end of 2004–05.

Radio Frequencies

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification projects and (b) their implications for (i) privacy and (ii)civil liberties.

Des Browne: The Home Office invested £5.5 million in launching the Chipping of Goods Initiative in March 2000. The UK was the first country in the world to embrace the use of Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) or 'electronic tagging' to deal with property crime.
	The programme was led by the Police Scientific Development Branch and the Business Crime Team and was established as a result of the need to reduce the incidence and cost of property crime and to reduce the burden on police resources in tracing the ownership of stolen goods. It was also established to show the clear business benefits that can be gained from adopting such technology.
	Case studies for each of eight demonstrator projects were carried out, each one showing how the business benefited from the use of RFID. Manufacturers, retailers, consumers, the police and other enforcement agencies will all benefit from the wider adoption of this technology.
	The eight demonstrator projects are world class implementations and have already received five awards for technical excellence and outstanding achievement, including 'Retail Technology Team of the Year' and the 'European Supply Chain Solution of the Year'.
	Within the Identity Cards programme there has been investigation of the capabilities of contactless smartcard interfaces. However there has been no investigation of Radio Frequency Identification technologies which imply the ability to communicate with devices at much greater distances, nor it is envisaged that this would ever form part of the requirements for the Identity Cards scheme.

Regional Offender Managers

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated staffing requirement for each of the regional offender managers is.

Paul Goggins: Regional Offender Managers will have a total of four staff working to them in the first instance. It is expected that as Regional Offender Managers' roles expand they will require further staff.

Turkish Cypriots

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Turkish Cypriots have been granted (a) an entry visa and (b) a work voucher for entry into the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.

Chris Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
	UKvisas does not hold statistics on the numbers of Turkish Cypriots who have applied for visas. However, entry clearance statistics on applications received at our visa issuing post in Nicosia in the last three years for which they are available can be found on the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk—Entry Clearance: Facts and Figures".

Workers Registration Scheme

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average registration under the Workers Registration Scheme has taken since the scheme was introduced.

Des Browne: Since the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS) was introduced on 1 May 2004 it has taken the WRS Team on average 10 calendar days to register each applicant.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Marine Pollution (County Down)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have taken place between his Department and (a) North Down borough council and (b) the National Trust in relation to tackling the sewage washed up at Orlock, County Down.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady.
	Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan to Lady Hermon, dated 18 March 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what discussions have taken place between his Department and (a) North Down Borough Council and (b) the National Trust in relation to tackling the sewerage washed up at Orlock, Co. Down (222932). I have been asked to reply as the issue falls within my operational responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	Water Service regrets the problems that have arisen due to the failure of this screening plant at Briggs Rock, Orlock. Water Service has been in discussion with North Down Borough Council during the past two weeks regarding the problems but has not yet had any discussions with the National Trust. Water Service is currently taking forward a project to replace the existing screening plant at a cost of £150,000, and this is scheduled for completion by the end of this summer. Water Service will discuss the practicalities of a clean up operation at Orlock with both North Down Borough Council and the National Trust.

Parades Commission Chairman

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what official appointments and posts are held by the current Chairman of the Parades Commission.

Ian Pearson: Sir Anthony Holland's public appointments are a matter of record and are listed prominently on, for example, the websites and publications of the Parades Commission and the Standards Board for England.

Police Service

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people applying to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) categorised as (a) Protestants, (b) Roman Catholics and (c) non-determined (i) have been regarded as suitably qualified, (ii) were suitably qualified but were unsuccessful and (iii) have been successfully recruited to the PSNI since its establishment.

Ian Pearson: In PSNI Trainee Constable competitions, individuals are appointed from the pool of suitably qualified candidates at an equal ratio of those who are determined to be from a Catholic community background and those from a non-Catholic community background.
	I am advised that, as at 28 January 2005, 3,243 candidates from a non-Catholic community background have reached the pool of suitably qualified candidates; of this number 2,427 have been unsuccessful and 816 have been appointed. For the same period, 1,089 candidates from a Catholic community background have reached the pool of suitably qualified candidates; of this number 279 have been unsuccessful and 810 have been appointed.
	Of the 2,706 candidates deemed suitably qualified but not appointed, only 408 were rejected because of the policy of equal recruitment. The remaining 2,298 applicants would still have failed to be appointed had the temporary 50:50 provisions not been applied.
	The appointment process is ongoing and these figures remain subject to change.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has used funds (a) to provide alternative employment for workers previously employed in the poppy industry and (b) to purchase poppy crops in Afghanistan since 1997.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary if State for International Development gave him on 9 March 2005, Official Report, columns 1801–02W.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not, as part of its programme, purchased any poppy crops in Afghanistan.
	Department for International Development activity in this area forms part of the UK's support for the Afghan 2005 Counter Narcotics Implementation Plan, details of which are contained in my written statement of 10 March 2005, Official Report, columns 121–23WS.

Antarctica

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken to conserve the historic huts used by the British explorers Scott and Shackleton in Antarctica; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: As my right hon. and noble Friend the Minster of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean said on 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 6, in another place, New Zealand has territorial responsibility for the Scott and Shackleton huts located in the Ross Dependency in Antarctica. The British Government, through the British Antarctic Territory, provide an annual donation of £12,500 to the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, which in turn supports the conservation of the Ross Island huts. In 2002, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, again through the British Antarctic Territory, donated £70,000 to support the proposed Ross Sea heritage restoration project to undertake major preservation work on the huts in question.

China/Taiwan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities on its new law with regard to possible conflict with Taiwan.

Bill Rammell: As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Moore) on 16 March 2005, Official Report, column 338W, Ministers have taken a close interest in the development of China's Anti-Secession legislation. We have discussed it on a number of occasions at Ministerial and official level with the Chinese, in meetings both before and after its enactment.
	Although the legislation refers to China's desire to resolve the issue peacefully, we are concerned that it makes reference to the possibility of the use of non-peaceful means". Our view is still that the Taiwan question should be settled peacefully through negotiation between the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. We remain strongly opposed to the use of force, as we have consistently made clear to all, including the Chinese.
	In addition, the EU issued a Statement on 14 March recording its opposition to the use of force to resolve this issue.
	We continue to appeal to both sides to avoid unilateral measures which might heighten tensions. Instead, we encourage both sides to continue the progress of recent months through the implementation of practical measures.

Colombia

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Colombian authorities regarding the murder of Luis Eduardo Guerra, leader of the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community.

Bill Rammell: We are deeply shocked by the brutal killing of Luis Eduardo Guerra. Our embassy in Bogota has spoken to the judicial authorities and to Colombian Government representatives at the highest level to express our concerns regarding this killing. Luis Eduardo Guerra was a highly respected member of the Colombian NGO community and well known to our embassy. I met him during my visit to Colombia in 2004. I welcome the Colombian Government's assurances that there will be an impartial, swift and effective investigation into this, as well as into the other murders in the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community. Officials from the human rights unit in the Attorney-General's office, as well as forensic specialists and other officials, are in the area where the killings happened and are carrying out their investigation. This process includes interviews with members of the Peace Community, as well as all local army units, to try and establish the facts. We have also stressed to the Colombian authorities the need for proper protection to be given to witnesses of the crimes and of human rights defenders following thecase. The Colombian authorities have assured us that such protection will be available to anyone who needs it. We continue to closely monitor the situation. Those responsible, whoever they may be, must be brought to justice.

Correspondence

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 13 May 2004 from the hon. Member for Brent, East regarding Mr. John Clegg.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. and noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister responsible for our relations with Iraq, replied to the hon. Member's letter on 11 March. Unfortunately we only received the hon. Member's letter on 16 February 2005.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 7 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. M. R. Svei.

Douglas Alexander: UKvisas have no record of having received this letter. They have requested a copy from the office of my right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will reply to him as soon as possible once a copy of the letter is received.

Croatia

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) progress in establishing the whereabouts of Ante Gotovina and (b) the impact of that progress on Croatia's proposed accession to the European Union.

Jack Straw: holding answer 15 March 2005
	On 16 March 2005, EU Foreign Ministers concluded that the conditions for the opening of EU accession negotiations had not been met in the absence of full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The opening of accession negotiations have been postponed until such time as the Council confirms that Croatia is fully co-operating with ICTY. The UK strongly supported this conclusion.
	The postponement does not affect Croatia's candidate status, and the UK fully supports Croatia's eventual accession to the EU. We will continue to work closely with the Croatian Government and encourage them to co-operate fully with the ICTY, in particular in their efforts to locate and arrest fugitive indictee Ante Gotovina.

Croatia

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Croatian Government.

Denis MacShane: The UK Government maintain a regular dialogue with the Croatian Government, through our embassy in Zagreb and in the course of ministerial and official level meetings. Most recently I met the Croatian Foreign Minister, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic on 1 March 2005.
	Such meetings address a wide range of issues. In recent months the focus has been on the need for Croatia to fully co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in order for the opening of EU accession negotiations to begin. On 16 March 2005, EU Foreign Ministers concluded that these conditions had not been met in the absence of full co-operation with the ICTY. The UK fully supports Croatia's eventual accession to the EU and we will continue to work closely with the Croatian Government and encourage them to fully co-operate with ICTY.

EU Presidency

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what budget his Department has set aside for the UK Presidency of the EU; and how much of that has been allocated for the provision of public information.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's budget allocation for 2004–05 is £2.130 million for Financial Year (FY) 2004–05 on UK EU Presidency related activity. The final budget allocation for 2005–06 will be finalised by the end of this month but £8.440 million has currently been set aside. Of this £350,000 has been allocated for the provision of public information and other public-facing activity. (£100,000 FY 04/05 and £250,000 projected for FY 2005–06).

European Constitution

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs what the dates are of those referendums on the treaty establishing a constitution for the European Union which have been announced.

Denis MacShane: The dates of those referendums on the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe which have been announced are: 27 September 2005 (Denmark); 29 May 2005 (France); 10 July 2005 (Luxembourg); 1 June 2005 (Netherlands). The Spanish referendum took place on 20 February 2005.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of whether the proposed EU Constitutional Treaty takes account of derogations negotiated by the latest accession countries, with particular reference to those negotiated by (a) the Czech Republic, (b) Estonia and (c) Poland.

Denis MacShane: The derogations negotiated by the latest accession countries, in particular by Czech Republic, Estonia and Poland are taken account of in Protocol 9 to the Constitutional Treaty.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits to Gibraltar he has planned.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to do so.

Holy See

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 21W, on the Holy See, how he intends to widen the pool of potential candidates as Head of Mission to the Holy See beyond the normal reservoir of candidates from the Foreign and Commonwealth Service; how and to whompersons interested may submit an application in support of their candidacy; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The post of Head of Mission to the Holy See will be advertised publicly in due course. The advertisement will contain details of how to apply.

Holy See

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 21W, on the Holy See, whether he has determined the appropriate level and form of staffing necessary to preserve a viable and effective embassy to the Holy See; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Final decisions have not yet been taken but the level of staffing will be such as to ensure the efficient and effective conduct of business between the UK Government and the Holy See.

India

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the former Director General of the Punjabi Police, Mr K. P. S. Gill, has visited the UK since 1995; and what the duration of each visit was.

Chris Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
	I regret that I cannot provide this information, as it is not our practice to disclose details of individual entry clearance cases in a public forum. However, I will write to the hon. Member with further information.

India

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Indian Government concerning their decision to end the UN moratorium on the death penalty.

Douglas Alexander: The UK initiated a demarche with EU partners to the Government of India in June 2004 in relation to the death sentence passed on Mr. Dhananjoy Chatterjee. The UK supported a further EU demarche in August 2004 in relation to the same case. On each occasion the EU urged the Indian Government to maintain their de facto moratorium on the death penalty.

Iraq War (Media Coverage)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which (a) newspaper, (b) television and (c) radio, (i) journalists and (ii) editors Sir Richard Dearlove initiated meetings following the war in Iraq during 1993 to discuss matters relating to (A) the conflict and (B) weapons of mass destruction; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: holding answer 17 March 2005
	It is the Government's well-established practice not to provide, confirm or deny details of meetings or movements of any members of the UK Security and Intelligence Services, including the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service.

Israel

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to Israel following statements by senior Israeli political figures that Israel is considering a pre-emptive military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Bill Rammell: We are in regular contact with the Israeli Authorities regarding the international community negotiations with Iran. We have not made any representations to Israel regarding reported plans for a pre-emptive military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities by Israel. The Israeli Government has denied such reports. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Minority Languages

Brian Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress made in addressing criticisms and recommendations contained in the report by the Council on Europe on UK implementation of its obligations as a signatory to the declaration of lesser-used and minority languages, with particular reference to Scottish Gaelic.

Bill Rammell: The UK Government welcomed the Council of Europe's report of 24 March 2004 on the implementation of the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The report praises the UK for its efforts while also highlighting some areas for improvement.
	The Scottish Executive has taken forward a number of Gaelic education initiatives which address the recommendations of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts with regard to Gaelic. The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill is also progressing through the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive is actively engaged in discussions with all interested parties in connection with the future of Gaelic broadcasting.
	These measures and others will be described in detail in the UK's periodic report to be submitted to the Council of Europe by 1 July 2005.

Moldova

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Moldovan elections.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 17 March 2005, Official Report, column 460W to the hon. Member for Windsor (Mr. Trend).

Nepal

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to fill the post of human rights adviser in the embassy in Nepal.

Douglas Alexander: The UK is actively recruiting a human rights advisor for the British Embassy in Kathmandu. The role will be funded from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool and tasked with the job of formulating and implementing UK human rights policy and programmes in Nepal. Advertisements for the position will be issued soon.

Nepal

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Nepali authorities on retaining and not replacing the present human rights commissioners in post; and if he will make a statement on (a) treatment of the commissioners and (b) Government support for the commissioners.

Douglas Alexander: The UK strongly supports the work of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Nepal and has been part funding its operations from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool. We are deeply concerned about the future independence of the NHRC following the King's takeover of power on 1 February and our Ambassador raised our concerns directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. The UK Government believe that the reappointment of the current members of the NHRC, following the expiry of their tenure in May 2005, is the best way to ensure its continued effectiveness. The UK Government have informed the government of Nepal of this position and will continue to press for it.
	There have been reports that one of the Commissioners, Sushil Pyakurel, has recently been barred from travelling outside the Kathmandu Valley on two occasions by the Security Forces, which is a source of great concern for the future of the NHRC. The UK intends to maintain its support for the Commissioners and will continue funding NHRC provided its independence and integrity is maintained.

Nepal

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, at the forthcoming meeting of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, the Government will press for a reinforcement of the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal to improve human rights monitoring; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The UK remains committed to monitoring and improving Nepal's human rights performance through a number of means, including the UN Commission for Human Rights. Last year the UK was closely involved in the 60th session of the UN Commission for Human Rights (CHR 60) and contributed significantly to the Chairman's statement. We remain equally engaged this year following the King's take over of power and suspension of fundamental rights on 1 February and are currently working with our international partners to seek the best way to take this forward at CHR 61.

Non-proliferation Treaty Review Conference

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with Ambassador Sergio de Queiroz Duarte of Brazil, the Chairman of the 2005 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not held a meeting with Ambassador Duarte, although Ambassador Duarte maintains regular contact with senior officials. The most recent meeting was in London on Friday 11 March when Ambassador John Freeman, Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, together with officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Trade and Industry, held consultations with Ambassador Duarte on the forthcoming Review Conference.

Palestinian Authority

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Palestinian Authority (a) to allow Christian Arabs the right to pursue their religion, with particular reference to the right to pray on the Temple Mount and (b) to prevent encroachment on and inappropriate use of Christian holy sites.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 17 March 2005
	We have received no representations from the Christian Palestinian population with regard to access to the rightto pray at the Haram ash-Sharif Temple Mount area. We have received representations from the Christian Palestinian community regarding difficulties in accessing sites holy to Christians, as well as Jews and Muslims, but these concerns focus on measures taken by the Israeli rather than Palestinian authorities.
	Jerusalem has a unique religious and cultural importance for Christians, Jews and Muslims, and we attach great importance to ensuring access to Jerusalem and freedom of worship there for those of all faiths.

Peru

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Peruvian Government concerning the arrest of Pastor Jose Garcia Pena on terrorism charges.

Bill Rammell: British embassy officials in Lima have recently spoken to the Peruvian Justice Ministry about the case of Pastor Jose Garcia Pena. We understand that Pastor Jose Garcia Pena was temporarily released from custody on 11 March.

Russia

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with Russia concerning the presidency of the G8; and what Russia's stated priorities are for their presidency.

Douglas Alexander: All G8 members, including Russia, are involved in G8 discussions. In addition to these multilateral discussions, we have had a wide range of contacts with the Russians at official and Ministerial level to discuss both their and our G8 presidency themes. The Russians have begun to prepare for their 2006 G8 presidency, but have not yet made any announcements of their priorities.

Saudi Arabia

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the progress being made in Saudi Arabia in introducing elements of democracy; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We welcome the municipal elections which are being held in Saudi Arabia as a first, but important, step in the growing involvement of the people in political decision-making. We look forward to the development of this process and particularly welcome the Government of Saudi Arabia's commitment to extend voting to women.

Spain

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will raise with the Spanish government air pollution from the oil refinery at La Liniea near Gibraltar;
	(2)  if he will raise with the Spanish government water pollution caused by the oil refinery at La Liniea and its effects on Gibraltar's territorial waters.

Denis MacShane: The Government hopes that the new trilateral forum will provide a suitable atmosphere in which to discuss issues such as these. However, at the present time we believe that local environmental issues such as these are most appropriately addressed under the local cooperation forum of the Government of Gibraltar-Mancommunidad del Campo de Gibraltar Joint Committee. This Committee has already established a joint epidemiological study to investigate the alleged high incidence of cancer cases in the area.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits Payment

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the administration costs associated with each benefit were in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of expenditure on each benefit was accounted for by administration costs.

Chris Pond: Information is not available in the format requested. In accordance with the requirements of Resource Accounting and Budgeting, the Department now accounts for its administration and benefit expenditure by Strategic Objective, as set out in its public service agreements (PSA), and by individual Requests for Resources (RfRs), as set out in the Department's Estimates and Accounts.

CSA

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will compensate children adversely affected by delays in transferring cases to the new Child Support Agency system.

Chris Pond: Compensation payments can be made to parents with care for losses incurred as a direct result of maladministration by the Child Support Agency.
	However, we have always been clear that we will only move people on to the new scheme when we are sure that the new arrangements are working well. This is a sensible approach to implementing a major change and does not amount to maladministration. Compensation is therefore not appropriate.

CSA

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons a date has not been set when old Child Support Agency cases will be transferred to the new system.

Chris Pond: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Green) on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 568W.

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether Ministers in his Department have issued written instructions to override his Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answergiven to him on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 80W, by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Timms).

Household Incomes

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households below average income there were in (a) East Midlands and (b) Leicester South constituency in each year since 1997.

Chris Pond: In 2002–03, an estimated 69 per cent. of households in the East Midlands had incomes below the GB mean on the Before Housing Costs income measure, and 66 per cent. on the After Housing Costs measure.
	These estimates use the same definition of income used in the Households Below Average Income Series, which is sourced from the Family Resources Survey. It is not possible to provide robust estimates for (b) because of small sample sizes.

National Insurance Numbers

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers have been issued to workers arriving from abroad in each year since 1979.

Chris Pond: The information is not available.

New Deal

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have found work through new deal programmes in Plymouth since 1997, broken down by (a) the new deal for young people, (b) the new deal for over 25s and (c) the new deal for lone parents.

Jane Kennedy: The information is in the following table.
	
		New deal in Plymouth
		
			 Programme Individuals into work 
		
		
			 New deal for young people 3,390 
			 New deal 25 plus 660 
			 New deal for lone parents 1,900 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures are for the combined parliamentary constituencies of Plymouth Devonport and Plymouth Sutton.
	2.New deal for young people started in January 1998; new deal 25 plus started in July 1998; new deal for lone parents started in October 1998.
	3.All data is to December 2004.
	4.Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate

New Deal

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the City of York have (a) enrolled on and (b) found work through each of the Government's new deal programmes.

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the following table.
	
		New deal in the City of York
		
			 Programme Individual starts Individuals into work 
		
		
			 New deal for young people 1,400 840 
			 New deal 25 plus 890 390 
			 New deal for lone parents 1,060 640 
			 New deal 50 plus (up to and including  March 2003) 190 190 
			 New deal 50 plus (from April 2003) — 50 
			 Total 3,540 2,110 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.New deal for young people started in January 1998; new deal 25 plus started in July 1998; new deal for lone parents started in October 1998; new deal 50 plus started in April 2000.
	2.Information on starts to new deal 50 plus is only available up to the end of March 2003.
	3.Information on individuals into work through new deal 50 plus up to the end of March 2003 is the number of starts to the new deal 50 plus employment credit.
	4.New deal 50 plus jobs figures from April 2003 could include people who have started more than one job.
	5.Information for new deal for disabled people and new deal for partners is not available at constituency level.
	6.All data is to December 2004.
	7.All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate

Pensioner Income

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average difference in pension income between men and women in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) England was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the tables.
	Table 1 gives gross income, net income before housing costs, and net income after housing costs for male and female single pensioners (people over state pension age). The results are based on combined data from the three years 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03.
	
		Table 1: £ per week in 2002–03 prices
		
			  Scotland England Great Britain 
		
		
			 Male single pensioners 
			 Gross income 212 228 224 
			 Net income BHC 187 194 192 
			 Net income AHC 161 168 166 
			 Female single pensioners 
			 Gross income 188 188 187 
			 Net income BHC 167 165 165 
			 Net income AHC 142 139 139 
		
	
	Table 2 gives the difference in incomes between male single pensioners and female single pensioners.
	
		Table 2: £ per week in 2002–03 prices
		
			  Scotland England Great Britain 
		
		
			 Gross 24 40 37 
			 Net income BHC 20 29 27 
			 Net income AHC 19 28 27 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Based on pensioners' incomes 2002–03. Because of small sample sizes the results are based on an average of three years of Family Resources Survey (FRS) data. The data is from 2000–01, 2001–02, and 2002–03 where appropriate uprated to 2002–03 prices. Estimates of average incomes may still be vulnerable to random fluctuations in the number of very high income pensioners in each group in the FRS sample. In particular the differences between men and women should be treated with caution.
	2.Net income is after direct taxes (including council tax) have been deducted).
	3.BHC stand for before housing costs, AHC for after housing costs.
	4.Northern Ireland was included in the FRS for the first time in 2002–03. Because the table is based on three years of FRS data results are given for Great Britain rather than the UK.

Pensioner Income

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department plans to continue to use means-testing in the calculation of pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: This Government's priority when they came to office was tackling the legacy of pensioner poverty. We continue to do this by targeting help on today's poorest pensioners and by encouraging all pensioners to receive the benefits they are entitled to. At the same time the Government believe that empowering individuals to make real and informed choices about working and saving for retirement is fundamental if they are to make sure people get the income in retirement they expect.
	Income-testing of benefits has existed since before and after the creation of the Welfare State in 1948. With the introduction of pension credit, and the ease by which it can be applied for, we have moved away from the stigmatising weekly means tests of the past.

Pensioner Income

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes took place in levels of pensioner poverty between (a) 1997 and June 2001 and (b) June 2001 and 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We have taken many steps to tackle pensioner poverty, including the introduction of pension credit and winter fuel payment, and since 2000 there has been a 7 per cent. real rise in the level of the basic state pension. As a result of these measures during 2005–06 we will be spending extra £11 billion more on pensioners, including £5 billion more on the poorest third.
	Poverty is about more than low income; it also impacts on the way people live—their health, housing and the quality of their environment. The sixth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 6239), published in September 2004, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	Analysis suggests our overall strategy to tackle pensioner poverty is having an impact on pensioner incomes. The Household Below Average Income figures present the number and proportion of pensioners living in households with incomes below fixed and relative thresholds. The latest publication shows that between 1996–97 and 2002–03, 1.8 million fewer older people lived in absolute low income on un-rounded figures. Inpercentage terms, this equated to a fall of around two thirds. Further information is presented in the following table:
	
		Number of pensioners with income below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 median income held constant in real terms
		
			  After housing costs Before housing costs 
		
		
			 1996–97 2.7 2.1 
			 1997–98 2.6 2.1 
			 2001–02 1.1 1.4 
			 2002–03 0.9 1.2 
		
	
	Information for 2003–04 onwards is not available. The latest available information about the number of pensioners living in relative low income, measured by households with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income, is presented in the following table:
	
		Number of pensioners with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income -- Million
		
			  After housing costs Before housing costs 
		
		
			 1996–97 2.7 2.1 
			 1997–98 2.7 2.2 
			 2001–02 2.2 2.2 
			 2002–03 2.2 2.1 
		
	
	Source:
	Households Below Average Income 2002–03
	Households Below Average Income figures for 2003–04 are due to be published on 30 March. A copy will be placed in the Library.

Pensioner Income

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of pensioner poverty (a) before and (b) after housing costs was in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland and (iii) England in 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The following table gives gross income, net income before housing costs, and net income after housing costs for pensioners, over the three years 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 combined.
	
		Pensioners' income per week—2002–03 prices -- £
		
			  Pensioner couples Single pensioners 
			  Scotland England Great Britain Scotland England Great Britain 
		
		
			 Gross income 353 393 386 193 198 196 
			 Net income BHC 304 328 324 171 172 171 
			 Net income AHC 282 307 304 147 146 146 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.From Pensioners' Incomes 2002–03—the Great Britain results in table 6 of 2002–03 Pensioners' incomes were incorrect, the corrected numbers are in this table.
	2.Because of small sample sizes the results are based on an average of three years of Family Resources Survey data. The data is from 2000–01, 2001–02, and 2002–03 where appropriate uprated to 2002–03 prices. Estimates of average incomes may still be vulnerable to random fluctuations in the number of very high income pensioners in each group in the FRS sample.
	3.Net income is after direct taxes (including council tax) have been deducted.
	4.BHC stands for Before Housing Costs, AHC for After Housing Costs.
	5.Northern Ireland was included in the FRS for the first time in 2002–03. Because the table is based on three years of FRS data results are given for Great Britain rather than the UK.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average weekly amounts of (a) basic state pension, (b) additional pension and (c) income- related additions received by (i) men and (ii) women were in each year since 1997–98.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table.
	
		£
		
			  Average basic state pension Average additional state pension Average weekly rate of income-  related additions 
			 As at March: Men Women Men Women Men Women 
		
		
			 1998 61.42 49.95 15.50 5.60 42.29 
			 1999 63.58 51.68 17.23 6.34 52.76 41.82 
			 2000 65.59 53.34 19.40 6.97 56.03 44.43 
			 2001 66.27 53.95 20.43 7.62 59.60 46.45 
			 2002 71.11 57.97 22.81 8.50 58.56 45.27 
			 2003 73.98 60.38 23.45 9.30 59.96 46.02 
			 2004 75.82 61.96 24.73 10.20 48.50 39.16 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Income-related additions refer to the minimum income guarantee and the pension credit (payable from October 2003) and represent male and female claimants. Figures for male claimants are higher because they include a greater proportion of cases where the claim relates to a couple than the figures for female claimants. Figures for March 1998 are only available for all claimants and cannot be given in the format requested.
	2.Figures for basic state pension and additional state pension are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. The average weekly rates are based on all state pension recipients in Great Britain.
	3.Basic state pension means the basic component of Category A or B state pension or Category C or D state pension.
	4.A basic state pension is paid to those who fully or partially satisfy the contribution conditions for a Category A or Category B basic state pension, either in their own right or, where applicable, on the basis of their spouse's or former spouse's National Insurance contributions and to persons aged 80 or over who satisfy the entitlement conditions for Category C or Category D Pensions.
	5.Average amounts of additional state pension include the additional state pension component of Category A and B state pension and the addition to long-term incapacity benefit, graduated retirement benefit and age additions paid to people aged 80 and over.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre.

Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish an estimate of the number of pension scheme members who have lost pension through insolvent wind up since 1997 in the same format as the estimate published on 30 June 2004.

Malcolm Wicks: We shall not have full information on members' losses until their schemes are close to completing wind up. However, based on the information currently available, we estimate that some 80,000 non-pensioner members of schemes winding up since 1997 with insolvent employers could be facing losses of 20 per cent. or more of their expected pensions, 70,000 losses of 30 per cent. or more, 60,000 losses of 40 per cent. or more and 45,000 losses of 50 per cent. or more. These figures exclude those where the difference between the assets in their scheme and the level of losses is less than £10 a week. In addition, we estimate that a small number of pensioner members may be facing significant losses of 20 per cent. or more of their expected pensions.

Pensions

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what initiatives his Department has taken to encourage business investment in worker pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We have taken radical action to easethe burdens on business and encourage further investment in employees' pensions. This includes the measures in the 2004 Finance Act to simplify the tax system and provisions in the Pensions Act 2004 to make the running of pension schemes simpler. We have simplified the pensions tax system by changing eight schemes of taxation into one. Simplification measures in the Pensions Act 2004 will enable pension schemes to consolidate and simplify their rules with retrospective effect.
	We set up the Employer Task Force to draw on business experience and innovation as a way of identifying and promoting good practice in occupational pensions. Following a recommendation in its report, published in December 2004, we have set up a website aimed at employers which is dedicated to offering guidelines on good practice, with case studies and examples.
	We intend to take steps through our informed choice programme to raise awareness among employers of the value for recruitment and retention of employers' pension contributions.
	The Government also provide generous tax relief to encourage people to save for an income in retirement, including around £5 billion a year in National Insurance relief to employers.

Pensions

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice was taken from (a) the Government Actuary's Department and (b) other actuaries by the then Department for Social Security (i)in advance of the introduction of contracting-out rebates for personal pensions in the 1986 Social Security Act and (ii) on the appropriateness of the level and structure of these rebates between the introduction of the 1986 legislation and the introduction of age-related rebates in 1997–98.

Malcolm Wicks: The contracting-out rebate rates that applied to appropriate personal pensions introduced under the Social Security Act 1986, were set out in a report laid before both Houses of Parliament in March 1987 by the then Secretary of State for Social Security. As required under the legislation, a report by the Government Actuary was laid at the same time and set out the rebate rates that, under the legislation then in force, he considered to be appropriate. Before these reports were laid, a draft of the Government Actuary's report was issued for consultation. This consultation included questions on the appropriateness of the level and structure of the rebates. The actuarial profession were among those consulted and their views were taken into account as part of the consultation process.
	The Secretary of State is required to review the level of rebates at least once every five years. The same process as described above took place in 1992 to set the rebate rates from 6 April 1993 and again in 1996 to set the rates from 6 April 1997. As a result of the latest of these reviews, age-related rebates were introduced for members of appropriate personal pension schemes and members of contracted-out money purchase schemes.

Pensions

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of fuel price inflation on the value of winter fuel payments to pensioners.

Malcolm Wicks: Winter fuel payments are a significant contribution towards fuel costs but are not intended to cover the full cost of fuel bills. The payment has risen from £20 in winter 1997–98 to £200 from winter 2000–01.

Pensions

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the rates of basic state pension payable to (a) single pensioners and (b) couples were in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 2004–05; and what the rates would have been in 2004–05 if they had been uprated in line with prices between 1996–97 and 2004–05.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table:
	
		£ per week
		
			  Single pensioners Pensioner couple 
		
		
			 Rate of basic state pension as at April 1996 61.15 97.75 
			 Rate of basic state pension rate as at April 2004 79.60 127.25 
			 Rate of basic state pension as at April 2004 if it was uprated by retail prices index from 1996–97 74.15 118.50 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Retail prices index as published by the Office for National Statistics.
	2.For the years 2001–02; 2002–03; 2003–04, the basic state pension was uprated by more than the retail prices index.
	3.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence at each uprating.
	4.The basic state pension is an individual payment and there is no such thing as a singles" or couple's" rate. The pensioner couple rate, commonly referred to as the couples rate", is the sum total of a basic state pension and around 60 per cent. of it. The actual amount for a couple will therefore depend on the amount of the basic state pension to which the husband is entitled.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate

Public Expenditure

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1171W, on expenditure, 
	(1)  what the reasons are for the differences between the figures for benefit and tax credit expenditure in the years 1998–99 to 2004–05 and those in table 1.1 of the April 2004 Public Expenditure: Statistical Analyses;
	(2)  what the reasons are for the differences between the figures for benefit expenditure in 1996–97 and 1997–98 and those in table 1.3 of the April 2000 Public Expenditure: Statistical Analyses;
	(3)  what the reasons are for the differences between the figures for benefit and tax credit expenditure in 2003–04 and 2004–05 and those in table B16 of the pre-Budget report.

Chris Pond: Figures in the answer of 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1771W, are consistent with DWP benefit expenditure tables published following the pre-Budget report 2004 at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp, and with tax credit expenditure figures supplied to DWP by HM Treasury following this and previous Budget and pre-Budget report forecasts.
	The pre-Budget report assigned child elements of income support and income-based jobseeker's allowance to the tax credits line; since this is benefit expenditure it is included in the benefits column of the answer of 10 February, and the tax credits column is reduced accordingly.
	Some housing benefit and council tax benefit expenditure is funded from within local authority budgets and is therefore not included in the social security benefits lines in the pre-Budget report and Public Expenditure: Statistical Analyses (PESA).
	For completeness, the answer of 10 February includes these amounts. For 2003–04 only, the pre-Budget report includes spending on the Supporting People initiative in the social security line. This is excluded from the previous answer as it is neither benefit nor tax credit expenditure.
	DWP's pre-Budget report benefit expenditure tables reflect the latest 2003–04 outturn figures available at the time the forecast was being prepared. More recent figures were available by the time the pre-Budget report was published. Similarly, outturn figures published in PESA 2000 and 2004 were those available at the time of publication. Outturn figures can change as further accounting information becomes available.
	Other differences in expenditure figures included in pre-Budget report and PESA in the areas below are the responsibility of the Departments and agencies listed.
	Northern Ireland social security benefits: Northern Ireland Social Security Agency (NISSA);
	Tax Credits: Inland Revenue;
	War Pensions: Veterans Agency;
	Child Benefit: Inland Revenue and
	Paternity and Adoption Pay: Department of Trade and Industry.

Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Tamworth constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: We have undertaken a fundamental overhaul of the welfare system, transforming it to an active system that fights poverty, creates opportunity and helps people become self-sufficient and independent.
	Since 2001, the Government have significantly extended and improved civil rights for disabled people in areas such as employment, education, access to goods and services and transport. Disabled people in Tamworth will have benefited from these improvements in disability rights. Similarly, families with severely disabled 3 and 4-year-old children who are unable, or virtually unable to walk, will have benefited from the Government's decision to lower the minimum age entitlement to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance from April 2001, whilst older and less well off carers have gained extra help through the provisions within the National Carers Strategy.
	In 2002–03 we estimate there were around 10 million adults (22 per cent.) and 0.7 million children (5 per cent.) in Great Britain likely to be covered by the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
	The figures can be broken down to regional level which shows that 21 per cent. of adults and 6 per cent. of children in the West Midlands region are likely to be covered by the provisions of the DDA.
	Information on the numbers of customers in Tamworth who are in receipt of disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA) is in the table.
	
		Disability living allowance/attendance allowance recipients—Tamworth
		
			 Operational year Number 
		
		
			 2001 5,700 
			 2002 6,000 
			 2003 6,300 
			 2004 6,500 
		
	
	Source:
	DWP Information Centre. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and are from a 5 per cent. sample at 31 August each year.
	Through Jobcentre Plus we are promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age. The number of people in work is at historically high levels of over 28.5 million; in Tamworth the proportion in employment has increased by 1 point since 1997 to 72.8 per cent.
	Our New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over-50s and partners of unemployed people to move from benefit into work. Nationally over 1.25 million people have been helped into work by the New Deals, with 1,890 in Tamworth alone.
	Significant progress has been made in eradicating child poverty and the latest figures (for 2002–03) show that, in the UK, there were over half a million fewer children in relative low income than there were in 1996–97. Since 2001–02 incomes for lone parents in receipt of benefit have risen by more than prices or the cost of living. In April 2005 the child allowance rate in income support for a child up to 18 years old will have been increased by 40 per cent. since 2001–02. Child rates in income support and jobseeker's allowance are also being increased above inflation in April 2005 in line with child tax credit upratings. All of this has benefited 1,300 families in Tamworth.
	We want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement and to share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country and our first priority has been to help the poorest pensioners. The Government will be spending nearly £10 billion more in 2004–05 (in 2004–05 prices) on pensioners as a result of measures introduced since 1997, with around half going to the poorest third.
	Our reforms include the State Second Pension which helps more future pensioners build up better pensions, especially carers. Pension credit, introduced from October 2003, provides a contribution to a guaranteed minimum income for those aged 60 and over and, for the first time, those aged 65 and over may be rewarded for savings and income. As of December 2004 around 3,855 pensioners in Tamworth were receiving pension credit, with an average award of £38.29 per week.
	We know that older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. This winter (2004–05) we have again made available a winter fuel payment of £200 for each eligible household with someone aged 60 or over and £300 to those with someone aged 80 or over to help with their fuel bills. Additionally, for this year, eligible households with someone aged 70 or over will receive the one-off 70+ payment of £100 to help with living expenses including council tax bills. It is paid with the winter fuel payment.
	The constituency data on winter fuel payments and the additional 80+ annual payment is available in the Library.
	Since 1997 single pensioners and pensioner couples have seen a real terms increase in their basic state pension of 7 per cent. and 8 per cent. respectively. Some 14,400 pensioners in Tamworth have benefited from this increase.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Edinburgh, North and Leith have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on the number of seniorcitizens in Edinburgh, North and Leith who have benefited from the winter fuel payment in each year for which figures are available is in the Library.

Women in Poverty

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women were living in poverty on the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by women of (a) Asian, (b) black, (c) white and (d) other ethnic groups.

Chris Pond: Poverty is about more than low income; it also impacts on the way people live—their health, housing and the quality of their environment. The sixth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 6239), published in September 2004, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in 'Households Below Average Income 1994–95 to 2002–03'. It should be noted that the reporting of year on year changes of low-income rates for small ethnic groups are not reliable. Both publications are in the Library.
	According to the latest data, in 2002–03, 3.7 million women in Great Britain were living in households with income below 60 per cent. of median income on the Before Housing Costs measure, and 4.7 million women were living in low income using a similar threshold on the After Housing Costs measure. Robust estimates of the number of individuals by ethnic group are not available. The estimated proportion of women by ethnic group and the proportion of individuals for each ethnic group that were in low income in 2002–03 are in the following tables.
	
		Proportion of all women living in low income households—broken down by ethnic group -- Percentage
		
			 Ethnic status Before housing costs After housing costs 
		
		
			 White 88 87 
			 Asian 7 7 
			 Other 5 6 
		
	
	
		Proportion of women in each ethnic group living in low income households(17) -- Percentage
		
			 Ethnic status Before housing costs After housing costs 
		
		
			 White 16 20 
			 Asian 34 40 
			 Of which:   
			 Bangladeshi/Pakistani 55 64 
			 Indian 21 24 
			 Other 22 33 
		
	
	(17)This table gives an estimate of the 'risk' of low income.
	Notes:
	1.A breakdown for Bangladeshi/Pakistani and Indian is provided for information as there were a greater proportion of Bangladeshi/Pakistani individuals in low income than there was for other ethnic groups.
	2.Low income households" is defined as households below 60 per cent. median income.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Congestion Charge

George Osborne: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been spent on congestion (a) charges and (b) penalty charge notices by the Department since the commencement of the congestion charging scheme.

David Lammy: My Department has spent the following amounts on congestion (a) charging and (b) penalty charge notices since the commencement of the congestion charging scheme:
	(a) Charges: £1,390.00
	(b) Penalties: £2,690.00
	The Department's policy is to recover penalty charges from the drivers who incur them.

Deaths in Custody (Legal Aid)

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list those cases in which he has (a) awarded and (b) not awarded legal aid to families in inquests into deaths in custody since taking office.

David Lammy: Since November 2001 the Legal Services Commission has been authorised by the Lord Chancellor to fund advocacy at inquests into deaths occurring in police or prison custody, or during the course of police arrest, search, pursuit or shooting, subject to the statutory financial eligibility limits.
	From December 2003, Ministers have had the power to waive the financial eligibility limits for legal aid in cases that may engage Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and where it is equitable to do so. Using this power, I have authorised funding for legal representation in 21 death in custody inquests, as at 18 March 2005. I have not refused funding for any death in custody inquest. The numbers break down as follows:
	
		
			 April to March Number 
		
		
			 2003–04 10 
			 2004–05 11

Domestic Property Sales

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many domestic property sales above £120,000 took place in Pendle in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what percentage of the total domestic sales in Pendle this represents.

David Lammy: In the calendar year 2004, 537 domestic properties were sold in Pendle for more than £120,000. This represents 16.69 per cent. of all domestic property sales in that district.

Immigration Adjudicators

Barbara Roche: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the nature is of the training for immigration adjudicators organised and facilitated by senior judicial members of the immigration appellate authority.

David Lammy: The training provided for immigration adjudicators, organised and facilitated by senior judicial members of the immigration appellate authority (IAA), is tailored to be legislatively relevant, and to reflect the changing environment of asylum and immigration decision making. In 2004 the chief adjudicator introduced a dedicated post of training adjudicator, which has improved the development, and delivery, of training packages to reflect the needs of immigration adjudicators in what is a rapidly developing jurisdiction. The training adjudicator is currently responsible for the facilitation of a series of judicial training conferences, underpinning the transition from the IAA into the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT). These recent conferences were designed to provide the immigration judiciary with the appropriate resources, and legislative knowledge, to continue to produce high quality decisions within the new tribunal.

Minority Indigenous Languages

Brian Wilson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on initiatives taken through the British Irish Council to advance minority indigenous languages in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Ireland following the discussions at the Fifth Summit.

David Lammy: At the Fifth Summit of the British-Irish Council, it was agreed that members would:
	Jointly consider outcomes of research into inter-generational language transmission;
	Carry out an assessment of structures supporting indigenous language learning in adult education in each of the BIC administrations;
	Work together to identify priorities for their respective indigenous language use surveys;
	Consider together the potential benefits of co-operating on the development of language use surveys;
	Share information on their experiences of the relationship between planning policy and linguistic considerations.
	This work has been carried forward by the Indigenous, Minority and Lesser-Used Languages Sectoral Group of the council, which is led by the Welsh Assembly Government. The group has decided to focus on three specific areas, namely language transmission within the family, the teaching of Indigenous, Minority and Lesser-Used Languages in the field of education and Information and Communications Technology.

Minority Indigenous Languages

Brian Wilson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what support has been given to Iomairt Cholm Chille in promoting co-operation through the British Irish Council on minority language issues.

David Lammy: Work on minority language issues is taken forward by the Indigenous, Minority and Lesser-used Languages Sectoral Working Group of the council, which is led by the Welsh Assembly Government. It would be for members of that group to propose the involvement of non-governmental organisations. To date, such involvement has included, or will include input from various language boards, adult education providers and community-based language groups such as the Welsh Mentrau Iaith.

Non-family Civil Legal Aid

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of the population was eligible for non-family civil legal aid in each of the last 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: We do not have precise figures for the last 20 years. Estimates of the proportion of individuals eligible for civil legal aid generally from 1986 to 2000 are set out on the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage individuals eligible 
		
		
			 1986 63 
			 1987 60 
			 1988 58 
			 1989 59 
			 1990 56 
			 1991 55 
			 1992 56 
			 1993 52 
			 1994 54 
			 1995 54 
			 1996 52 
			 1997 52 
			 1998 52 
			 1999 51 
			 2000 50 
		
	
	More recent surveys estimate that the proportion of the population eligible for civil legal aid generally has remained at approximately 50 per cent. since 2000.

Nuclear Test Veterans

Mark Todd: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations he has received concerning the continuance of Legal Services Commission funding for the claims of British nuclear test veterans against the Ministry of Defence; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: I have received one letter from the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir John Butterfill) on this subject. The Department is not aware of receiving any other representations, although data on correspondence are not recorded to give a categorical answer.
	I am aware that there has been a dialogue between the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and the applicants' solicitors regarding the continuation of funding.
	At the time of writing the LSC has recently received correspondence and enquiries from four MPs, on behalf of constituents who are members of the British Nuclear Test Victims Association.
	The LSC granted limited funding in June 2002 to two firms of solicitors to undertake preliminary investigations.
	The LSC made an assessment of the atomic veterans' Multi Party Action (MPA) in October 2004. This action not only includes British veterans, but nationals from New Zealand and Fiji. The LSC is currently awaiting further information from the solicitors to enable a decision to be made whether further funding should be provided. Once the information is available the Commission will first consider the merits and then whether the action is affordable from the cash limited budget, having compared it with other major group actions that are being proposed. This is the standard procedure that the Commission currently applies to any major MPA.

Personal Accident Cases

David Marshall: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will take steps to regulate companies involved in no win, no fee claims in personal accident cases.

David Lammy: The claims management sector must be properly regulated. Many claims management companies have failed to demonstrate the commitment I would have hoped to see by now despite the efforts by the Claims Standard Council. I will be considering how best to safeguard consumer interests now and for the future as we take forward the Clementi reforms.

Sikh Employees

David Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the Department's policy is on the wearing of the Kirpan by Sikh employees.

David Lammy: The Department's commitment not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of religion or belief is set out in its Equality and Diversity Policy. The Department has not issued specific guidance on the wearing of the Kirpan by Sikh employees. General guidance on dress places the responsibility on individual managers to inform their employees of the dress code for their particular office. In devising a dress code the guidance requires managers to consult and ensure that they do not discriminate on any grounds and, where an employee's religion requires them to observe a particular dress code, this should be respected. However, recognition and respect for faith must be balanced against considerations for health, safety and security.
	The Department's Corporate Diversity Unit is currently devising a toolkit on religion and belief which is intended to include guidance on the wearing of religious objects including the Kirpan.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to focus the asylum system on those genuinely fleeing persecution by taking speedy, high quality decisions and reducing significantly unfounded asylum claims;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to ensure the fast turnaround of manifestly unfounded asylum cases;
	(3)  whether the public service agreement target to ensure that 75 per cent. of substantive asylum applications are decided within two months by 2004 was met;
	(4)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to enforce the immigration laws more effectively by removing a greater proportion of failed asylum seekers;
	(5)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to reduce unfounded asylum claims;
	(6)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to tackle abuse of the immigration laws and promote controlled legal migration.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Gentleman for Buckingham to the answer given by the Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Mr. Browne) on 15 March 2005, Official Report, column 205W.

HEALTH

Acute Hospital Beds

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospital beds there are in (a) England and (b) Surrey and Sussex; and how many acute beds per 100,000 of population there are in (i) County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area and (ii) Surrey and Sussex SHA area.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Acute hospital beds Number 
		
		
			 England 109,846 
			 Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority (SHA) 4,931 
			   
			 Acute beds per 100,000 population  
			 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 250 
			 Surrey and Sussex SHA 193 
		
	
	Source:
	Beds data: KH03, Population figures: Office for National Statistics mid-2002 estimates.

Alcohol

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions via accident and emergency to NHS hospitals in England for alcohol-related conditions there were in each year from 1997, broken down by trust; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Alcohol-related Emergency Admissions (Lancashire)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol-related emergency cases there were in hospitals in Lancashire in the last period for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The table the number of alcohol-related 1 finished admission episodes for acute national health service trusts in Lancashire during 2003–04, where the admission method was emergency.
	
		
			 NHS trust Finished admission episodes 
		
		
			 Morecambe Bay hospitals NHS Trust 1,258 
			 Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust 777 
			 Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre hospitals NHS Trust 656 
			 Lancashire Teaching hospitals NHS Trust 1,425 
			 East Lancashire hospitals NHS Trust 1,399 
		
	
	Notes to table:
	1.A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2.The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	3.As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 20O2–03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care.
	Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.
	Note:
	(18)ICD-10 codes—alcohol related" as advised by NHS Information Authority clinical coding service. Counts include any of the records where the following listed codes are recorded in the primary or secondary field:
	Primary diagnosis:
	F10.–Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	T51.–Toxic effect of alcohol
	R78.0–Finding of alcohol in blood Secondary Diagnosis
	F10.–Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	T51.–Toxic effect of alcohol
	X45.–Alcohol poisoning and exposure to alcohol
	X65.–Intentional self poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	Y90.–Evidence of alcohol involvement determined by alcohol level
	Y91.–Evidence of alcohol involvement determined by level of intoxication
	R78.0–Finding of alcohol in blood
	Z72.1–Alcohol use

Ambulance Response Times

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average response time for ambulances attending 999 calls was in Coventry in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally in the format requested.
	Data on response times for West Midlands Ambulance Service, which includes Coventry, is shown in the table.
	Further information can be found in the statistical bulletin, Ambulance services, England: 2003–04". A copy is available in the Library and on the Department's website at: www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0411.htm
	
		Percentage of Category A calls responded within 8 minutes
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 61.2 
			 1998–99 61.6 
			 1999–2000 64.0 
			 2000–01 69.5 
			 2001–02 76.0 
			 2002–03 78.3 
			 2003–04(19) 76.4 
		
	
	
		Percentage of Category A calls responded within 14 to 19 minutes
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 96.5 
			 1998–99 96.6 
			 1999–2000 96.9 
			 2000–01 97.1 
			 2001–02 99.3 
			 2002–03 97.3 
			 2003–04(19) 96.3 
		
	
	
		Percentage of Category B/C calls responded within 14 to 19 minutes
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 95.9 
			 1998–99 94.8 
			 1999–2000 95.8 
			 2000–01 94.4 
			 2001–02 94.2 
			 2002–03 91.2 
			 2003–04(19) 90.5 
		
	
	
		Percentage of urgent journeys with arrival time no more than 15minutes late
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 77.8 
			 1998–99 78.9 
			 1999–2000 73.5 
			 2000–01 68.0 
			 2001–02 68.5 
			 2002–03 71.1 
			 2003–04(19) 74.6 
		
	
	(19)In 2003–04 the area covered by West Midlands Ambulance Service was increased to include Shropshire.

Autism

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of provision of services for autistic (a) children and (b) adults in Kent.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The Department has not made an assessment of the provision of services for autistic children and adults in Kent. Our policy of Shifting the Balance of Power means that responsibility for the provision of local health services now rests with primary care trusts (PCTs). It is for PCTs, in conjunction with strategic health authorities, to ensure that local services meet the needs of their local communities.

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects his Department to issue its report on the British Pregnancy Advisory Service.

Melanie Johnson: The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is currently investigating this matter and will draw conclusions and make recommendations to the Secretary of State. The CMO expects to be able to submit his report to the Secretary of State shortly.

Cancelled Operations

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancelled operations there were in each quarter of 2004–05 in the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust.

Stephen Ladyman: The published data for last minute cancelled operations in each of the last three quarters of 2004–05 for West Suffolk Hospitals National Health Service Trust are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Quarter (2004–05) Number of last minute cancelled operations 
		
		
			 1 (April-June) 56 
			 2 (July-September) 98 
			 3 (October-December) 313 
		
	
	The quarterly trend for the trust is not uncommon. Traditionally, the number of cancelled operations in the winter months (quarter three) is generally higher than other quarters in most trusts.

Deafness

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the use of funds allocated to primary care trusts for the purpose of ensuring that deaf people receive equal treatment and access to medical care; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to issue instructions to (a) primary care trusts, (b) health trusts and (c) foundation hospitals to record deafness and the preferred communication method for the purpose of the proposed needs assessments to be undertaken by these bodies.

Stephen Ladyman: The Healthcare Commission is responsible for regulating and inspecting national health service services including those for deaf people.
	The Department has no plans to issue such guidance to health and social care providers at a local level. However, individual health and social care practitioners are expected to record the preferred methods of communication of deaf and hard of hearing clients.
	Good practice guidance published jointly by the Department and the Disability Rights Commission last year gives practical suggestions of ways in which NHS managers and healthcare staff can make a real difference by meeting the needs of disabled service users, including those who are deaf.
	Information on deafness is not collected centrally.

Dementia

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance his Department provides for (a) people who suffer from dementia and (b) their carers; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Standard 8 of the national service framework for older people, launched in 2001, sets out service models, actions and milestones for the national health service and social care organisations in the provision of services for older people with dementia and depression, and their carers.
	A carers' grant was introduced in 1999 to support councils in providing breaks and services for carers in England. The grant has been increased annually and has provided an extra £225 million over the past four years. It was worth £100 million during 2003–04, helping an additional 130,000 carers. The carers' grant will be £185 million in 2005–06 and will continue until 2007–08 at least. Councils will be able to use the money to give carers help with taking a break from caring and also to give them on-going support with caring.

Dementia

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to change the drugs available on prescription for people who suffer from dementia; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: None, but the hon. Member may wish to consult the record of the recent debate in Westminster Hall, Official Report, columns 93–101WH, which outlines a number of issues the Department will be raising in its response to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's current consultation on its draft appraisal of drugs for Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what treatment is available for people with dementia on the national health service;
	(2)  what plans he has to improve the service provided to Alzheimer sufferers.

Stephen Ladyman: Standard 8 of the national service framework for older people sets out service models, actions and milestones for the national health service in the provision of services for older people with dementia and depression.
	In 2003, the then Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr.Milburn), announced that, as part of the eighth wave of its work, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence would be producing comprehensive guidelines on all aspects of dementia care, including the use of antipsychotic drugs. A draft will be available for consultation in 2006.

Digital Hearing Aids

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the individual cost to the NHS is of (a) assessment, (b) fitting and (c) follow-up in providing a digital hearing aid.

Stephen Ladyman: Following a change in accounting procedures, data on the costs of digital hearing aids is no longer included in the annual collection of unit costs and activity data from national health service providers. In the last year for which information was available, 2002–03, the average cost of a digital hearing aid was £140.

European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the activity of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products in the UK in the last 12 months; and if he will list the publications and newsletters published by the Agency over that period.

Rosie Winterton: The activities of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the name of which was changed as of 20 May 2004, will be reported in the annual report for 2004, which is likely to be published in the coming weeks.
	The EMA's activities during 2004 covered European Union enlargement; medicines for human use; medicines for veterinary use; working with regulators across the world; the European medicines network; making structural changes to the organisation and planning for the future, which is set out in the road map 2010.
	The EMA publishes a large number of documents each year. All documents are available free of charge on the EMA website at www.emea.eu.int.

Freedom of Information Act

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of requests made to the NHS and its agencies under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 since 1 January.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The Department did not make estimates in advance of numbers of Freedom of Information requests likely to be received by organisations in the national health service, as there was no sound basis for doing so.

General Practitioners

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints have been received on the new GP out-of-hours service in (a) England and (b) Leicester since its introduction.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not centrally available.

Health Statistics (Shrewsbury and Atcham)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting to see a consultant at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on (a) 1 May 1997, (b) 7 June 2001 and (c) the latest date for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: The information for individual hospitals is not held centrally.
	The table shows the total number of patients waiting for admission to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital National Health Service Trust for the nearest dates to those specified.
	
		
			 Period Total waiting 
		
		
			 31 March 1997 4,245 
			 30 June 2001 4,210 
			 30 September 2003 3,648

Hospital Car Parking

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department gives to hospital trusts on the policy of charging (a) staff, (b) visitors and (c) patients for hospital car parking.

Rosie Winterton: Guidance on car parking charges was issued to national health service hospitals in March 1996. The guidance allows individual hospitals to decide whether or not to charge staff, visitors and patients for car parking and the cost of such charges in the light of local circumstances. Where charges are introduced, patients who are eligible to claim reimbursement of travelling expenses under the hospital travel costs scheme may have the charges reimbursed.

Hospital Energy Bills

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the annual energy bill has been at NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to improve the energy efficiency of NHS hospitals.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table. Data on energy costs is not available before 1998–99.
	
		£ million
		
			  Total annual cost of energy 
		
		
			 1998–99 177 
			 1999–2000 183 
			 2000–01 197 
			 2001–02 243 
			 2002–03 244 
			 2003–04 261 
		
	
	The figures quoted are as reported by the national health service and include costs for all forms of energy used, e.g., coal, gas and electricity sourced both locally and from outside suppliers.
	Under the requirements of the Government's climate change programme, the Department has set mandatory energy/carbon efficiency targets on the NHS in England to:
	Reduce the level of primary energy consumption by 15 per cent., or 0.15 million tonnes carbon from March 2000 to March 2010.
	Achieve a target of 35–55 GigaJoules/100 cubic metres energy efficiency performance for the healthcare estate for all new capital developments and major redevelopments or refurbishments.
	Achieve a target of 55–65 GigaJoules/100 cubic metres for all existing facilities.
	In November 2004, the NHS Estates Agency issued guidance, entitled, Carbon/energy management in healthcare—best practice advice for the NHS in England on meeting the mandatory carbon/energy targets—March 2000-March 2010", to assist the NHS and to ensure the requirements are kept in focus. The larger more energy intensive elements of the NHS estate are subject to the requirements of the emission trading scheme, which sets a cap on carbon emissions.

Intensive Care Bed Register

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on how many occasions there were no intensive care beds available on the intensive care bed register in each NHS region in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many (a) intensive care beds, (b) high dependency beds and (c) total critical care beds there have been in the NHS in each year since 1997; and what plans he has to increase the number of such beds.

John Hutton: The Department does not collect information on the intensive care bed register.
	The available data on intensive care and high dependency provision has been published since March 1999. The latest figures show that there were a total of 3,213 critical care beds in January 2005 compared with 2,362 in January 2000—a 36 per cent. increase.
	Copies of the statistical publications are available in the Library. Data from July 2001 to the most recent available are also available on the Department's website at: www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/index.htm.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many trusts in each of the clusters of the NHS National Programme for IT he expects will have implemented and begun to use patient administration systems that form the first release of the common reference solution delivered by local service providers by the end of March;
	(2)  how many trusts in each of the clusters of the NHS National Programme for IT he expects will have implemented and begun to use the patient administration systems that form the first release of common reference solution delivered by local service providers by the end of December.

John Hutton: By the end of March, none. The anticipated numbers by the end of December, broken down by cluster area, are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Cluster Trusts 
		
		
			 North West and West Midlands 37 
			 North East 15 
			 Eastern 29 
			 London 4 
			 Southern 5 
			 Total 90 
		
	
	These year-end figures are broadly in line with the high level profile in the latest published indicative implementation schedule for the national programme for information technology. This will be subject to change as details of local implementation plans become firmer.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government's target remains that Choose and Book will be implemented across England by the end of 2005.

John Hutton: The Government's targets are for all patients to be offered the choice of at least four or five providers at the point of general practitioner referral and for patients to be able to book the date and time of their hospital appointment by the end of 2005. The Choose and Book service will greatly assist local health communities in achieving these targets.
	We have asked the national health service to produce revised returns showing how they plan to roll out the Choose and Book service. We have asked strategic health authorities as a guide to aim for the Choose and Book service to be used for at least 80 per cent. of GP referrals for first consultant outpatient appointments by the end of 2005. Where the Choose and Book service is not being used by this date, there will be other systems in place to ensure that patients receive a choice of four to five providers and can book the date and time of their appointment.

Medical Staff Salaries

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average salary of (a) medical consultants, (b) junior doctors and (c) nurses has been in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: The Department only holds figures for 1999, 2000 and 2002. These are shown in the table.
	
		Average annualised salary for selected groups of national health service staff
		
			  Mean annualised earnings (£) 
			 England 1999 2000 2002 
		
		
			 All consultants 63,000 65,000 70,600 
			 Doctors in training and equivalents 24,300 25,100 27,600 
			 Qualified nurses 18,600 19,400 21,100

NHS Campuses

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition he uses, in the context of the new priorities for the Learning Disability Development Fund, of a NHS Campus; which NHS trusts include a campus within their provision; how many people with a learning disability there are in each campus setting; and what targets have been set for the reprovision of campuses into more appropriate settings in the community.

Stephen Ladyman: A national health service residential campus is a:
	Service operated by an NHS Trust comprising housing, some of which will be clustered on one site, together with some shared central facilities and developed as a direct result of the closure of NHS hospitals". Valuing People, Department of Health, March 2001.
	A survey was undertaken on behalf of the Valuing People support team (VPST) in 2003. Data collection proved difficult, so the Department has confidence in the overall figures, but not in the individual NHS trust data. The current estimate is that there are approximately 3,000 people living in NHS campuses and approximately a further 3,000 people living in arrangements where NHS trusts are involved but in partnership with other providers. A further survey to improve accuracy is currently underway.
	In the implementation guidance for Valuing People" (HSC 2001/016:LAC(2001)23), objective 6 is clear that people with learning disabilities and their families should be supported to have greater choice and control over where and how they live. Sub-objective 6.3 also states the intention of:
	Enabling all people currently in NHS long-stay hospitals to move into more appropriate accommodation and reviewing the quality of outcomes for people living in residential campuses".

NHS Pensions

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the proposed new NHS pension arrangements on levels of early retirement in advance of the deadline for transfer to the new scheme; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The NHS Confederation is currently consulting scheme members and other interested parties on proposals for changes to the NHS Pension Scheme for England and Wales. Consultation closes on 11 April. Ministers will make decisions on changes to the scheme following consultation, taking full account of the responses received and of the likely impact of changes on the recruitment and retention of high quality and motivated staff.

Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mothers due to give birth to premature babies in Oxfordshire were sent elsewhere in the UK because the Oxford Radcliffe NHS trust was unable to admit them either at the John Radcliffe or Horton hospitals in the last three years.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally.

Seroxat

Iain Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet a party of hon. Members and members of the Seroxat Users' Group.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2005
	My noble friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Warner) has agreed to meet with the hon. member to discuss the concerns of the Seroxat Users' Group and is in correspondence to clarify these concerns.

Social Workers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social workers (a) are and (b) have yet to be fully registered.

Stephen Ladyman: Data provided by the General Social Care Council (GSCC), on behalf of the Department, shows that 61,676 social workers have applied for registration with the GSCC. Of these, all are either fully registered or are through the initial stages of the registration process. 33,803 were registered by noon on 18 March 2005, which is the majority of those that applied before the cut-off date. Remaining applicants will be registered within three months.

Strategic Health Authorities

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of strategic health authorities.

John Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to Creating a Patient-led NHS, Delivering the NHS Improvement Plan", which is available in the Library. Chapters three and five of this document include information on the future role of strategic health authorities.

Strategy Documents

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) white papers, (b) green papers and (c) key strategy documents have been published by his Department since 1997, broken down by (i) title and (ii)date of publication.

Rosie Winterton: Since May 1997, the Department has published 10 White Papers, five Green Papers and 34 other key strategy documents, which are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Title Year 
		
		
			 White papers  
			 The new NHS: modern, dependable 1997 
			 Modernising social services: promoting independence, improving protection, raising standards 1998 
			 Smoking kills: a White Paper on tobacco 1998 
			 The Food Standards Agency: a force for change 1998 
			 Saving lives: Our Healthier Nation 1999 
			 The NHS plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform 2000 
			 Valuing people: a new strategy for learning disability for the 21st century 2001 
			 Building on the best: choice, responsiveness and equity in the NHS 2003 
			 Our inheritance, our future: realising the potential of genetics in the NHS 2003 
			 Choosing health: making healthy choices easier 2004 
			   
			 Green Papers  
			 Our healthier nation: a contract for health 1998 
			 Adoption: a new approach 2000 
			 Reforming the Mental Health Act 2000 
			 Mental Health Bill consultation document 2002 
			 Draft Mental Health Bill 2004 
			   
			 Other key strategy documents  
			 A first class service quality in the new NHS 1998 
			 Information for health: an information strategy for the modern NHS, 1998–2005 1999 
			 National service framework for diabetes 1999 
			 National service framework for mental health 1999 
			 A quality strategy for social care 1999 
			 Agenda for change: modernising the NHS pay system 2000 
			 National service framework for coronary heart disease 2000 
			 Pharmacy in the future: implementing the NHS Plan 2000 
			 Quality and performance in the NHS 2000 
			 The NHS cancer plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform 2000 
			 Building a safer NHS for patients: implementing an organisation with a memory 2001 
			 National service framework for older people 2001 
			 Shifting the balance of power within the NHS: securing delivery 2001 
			 The national strategy for sexual health and HIV: better prevention, better services, better sexual health 2001 
			 Consultant contract framework 2002 
			 Getting ahead of the curve: a strategy for combating infectious diseases (including other aspects of health protection) 2002 
			 Hepatitis C strategy for England 2002 
			 HR in the NHS Plan: more staff working differently 2002 
			 Improvement, expansion and reform: the next three years priorities and planning framework, 2003–2006 2002 
			 Introducing payment by results: the NHS financial reforms 2002 
			 National suicide prevention strategy for England 2002 
			 NHS dentistry: options for change 2002 
			 Patient and public involvement: the future picture 2002 
			 Delivering the NHS Plan: next steps on investment, next steps on reform 2002 
			 Confidentiality the Caldicott way 2003 
			 Developing NHS Direct: a strategy document for the next three years 2003 
			 Keeping the NHS local: a new direction of travel 2003 
			 National service framework for children, young people and maternity services 2004 
			 National service framework for renal services 2004 
			 Practice based commissioning 2004 
			 Reconfiguring the Department of Health's arm's length bodies 2004 
			 Standards for better health 2004 
			 The NHS improvement plan: putting people at the heart of public services 2004 
			 National service framework for long term conditions 2005 
		
	
	Like previous Governments, we have published many other documents, including responses to parliamentary committee's reports.

Surgical Instruments

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the need for the individual coding of surgical instruments under contract requirements for the new regional super centres being established for the decontamination of surgical instruments;
	(2)  how many NHS hospital trusts have a bar code system in place for the management of surgical instruments;
	(3)  what assessment has been made of the likely effect on patient safety of adopting bar coding for individual surgical instruments;
	(4)  what assessment has been made of the merits of adopting a system of individual surgical instrument traceability in NHS trusts;
	(5)  what assessment has been made of the implementation of the guidance in Health Service Circular 2000/32 regarding systems for the tracing of surgical instrument sets to patients on whom they have been used;
	(6)  if he will require the use of bar coding for surgical instruments in those areas where sterile service super centres are to be introduced;
	(7)  how many NHS trusts have the capacity to identify individual surgical instruments used after a high risk patient has been identified.

Rosie Winterton: The Department's guidance on the tracking of surgical instruments is contained in Health Service Circular (HSC) 2000/032 (Decontamination of Surgical Instruments). This asked chief executives of national health service trusts to have taken steps, by April 2002, towards having systems in place to enable the tracing of surgical instrument sets to patients on whom they have been used. The presence (or absence) of such a system was taken into account in assessing each NHS trust's compliance with the Department's guidance made as part of the Review of the decontamination of surgical instruments in the NHS in England", published in December 2001. NHS trusts are not required to report to the Department which tracing system they use.
	Compliance with the provisions of the Medical Devices Directive (93/42 EEC)—compulsory for commercial reprocessing centres providing a service to the NHS—implies the ability to track surgical instruments through the system. It does not—and nor does Departmental guidance—require any particular form of marking, such as bar codes, to be used. The detailed contents of contracts between NHS organisations and private sector providers of decontamination services are a matter for the parties concerned.
	The Department's guidance on handling instruments used on suspected CJD patients or in certain brain biopsies recommends that such instruments should be quarantined pending confirmation of a diagnosis. All hospitals that have implemented the guidance in HSC 2000/032 will have the capacity to do this. Other than the review published in 2001, no complete survey of their compliance has been undertaken.
	The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) has commissioned a survey that includes tracking and tracing systems in use in NHS trusts. NHS PASA is also discussing with the NHS the technologies presently available for marking instruments, such as laser etching; and those being developed, such as the implantation of radio frequency identification chips in individual instruments.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards achieving the public service agreement target of enhancing accountability to patients and the public.

Rosie Winterton: A new set of arrangements have been put in place to enhance accountability to patients and the public. Patients' forums have been set up to monitor local health services and to feed back the views of local people to the trusts. Patient advice and liaison services provide information, advice and support to help patients, families and their carers. Independent complaints advocacy services offer support to patients and their carers wishing to pursue a complaint about their national health service treatment or care. Health overview and scrutiny committees in local authorities are scrutinising health services and a new duty has been placed on the NHS to involve and consult in service planning and operation, and in the development of proposals for changes. The advent of NHS foundation trusts has further led to greater accountability to patients and the public by enabling far greater local ownership and involvement of patients, the public and staff.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards achieving the public service agreement target of securing sustained national improvements in patient experience as measured by independently validated national surveys.

Rosie Winterton: With reference to improving the patient experience, national patient survey results to date show that the vast majority of patients—across all surveys—are positive about the overall care that they receive and the national health service staff who provide that care. For example, they have confidence and trust in staff, feel involved in their treatment/care, feel that they are listened to, get answers to any questions they have in a way they can understand and are treated with respect and dignity.
	All national patient survey results are posted on the website of the Healthcare Commission at www.healthcarecommission.org.uk.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the public service agreement target to improve the life outcomes of adults and children with mental health problems through year-on-year improvement in access to crisis and child and adolescent mental health services was met in 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The target date for access to crisis resolution services for all patients requiring emergency access is December 2005. Based on the rapid expansion in the availability of crisis services and an estimate that 70,000 people will access services in 2004–05, we expect to meet the target.
	Information about improvement in access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in 2004 is being collected through the annual CAMHS mapping exercise. The deadline for finalising data prior to their use by the Healthcare Commission was 28 February 2005. The data is due to be published on 1 June 2005. Data for 2003 and further information about the process for 2004 is available at www.camhsmapping.org.uk.

Wells Report

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1) what the cost of the Wells Report was; and for whatreason he does not currently intend to publish thereport;
	(2)  what the cost was to public funds of the Wells Report.

Melanie Johnson: No specific budget was allocated to the Wells report work. Its compilation involved the input of many individuals in a number of different organisations. The cost to public funds of the report could therefore be estimated only at disproportionate cost. The report will not be published, as to do so would prejudice similar future examinations of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which other public authorities discharge their functions.

West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate for outturn against planned budget for West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust is for (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not make any estimates of the outturn against planned budgets for national health service organisations. The audited information in respect to the 2004–05 financial position of the NHS trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts and will be available centrally in autumn 2005. The Department has no plans to publish un-audited information.
	The Department does not have any information in respect of 2005–06 and 2006–07. The actual audited information will be available in the autumn following each of those years.